iwrmitg 


1 87  £. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


GIFT  OF 


WILLIAM  OILMAN  THOMPSON. 


WOMEN  ARTISTS 


IN  ALL  AGES  AND  COUNTRIES. 


BY  MRS.  ELLET, 

AUTHOE  OP  "THE  WOMEN  OF  THE  AMERICAN  EEVOLtTTION,"  ETO. 


NEW    YORK: 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS,    PUBLISHERS, 

FBANKHN    8QTTABE. 
1859. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  fifty-nine,  by 

HARPER  &  BROTHERS, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern  District 
of  New  York. 


TO 


MRS.  COVENTRY  WADDELL, 


WHOSE  ELEGANT  TASTE  AND  APPRECIATION  OF  ART,  AND 

WHOSE  LIBERAL  KINDNESS  TO  ARTISTS,  HAVE 

FOSTERED  AMERICAN  GENIUS, 


ftolnme  is 


BY  HER  FRIEND 


THE  AUTHOR. 


PREFACE. 


I  DO  not  know  that  any  work  on  Female  Artists — 
either  grouping  them  or  giving  a  general  history  of 
their  productions — has  ever  been  published,  except 
the  little  volume  issued  in  Berlin  by  Ernst  Guhl,  en- 
titled "  Die  Frauen  in  die  Kunstgeschichte."  In  that 
work  the  survey  is  closed  with  the  eighteenth  centu- 
ry, and  female  poets  are  included  with  painters,  sculp- 
tors, and  engravers  in  the  category  of  artists.  Find- 
ing Professor  Guhl's  sketches  of  the  condition  of  art 
in  successive  ages  entirely  correct,  I  have  made  use  of 
these  and  the  facts  he  has  collected,  adding  details 
omitted  by  him,  especially  in  the  personal  history  of 
prominent  women  devoted  to  the  brush  and  the  chisel. 
Authorities,  too  numerous  to  mention,  in  French,  Ital- 
ian, German,  and  English,  have  been  carefully  con- 
sulted. I  am  indebted  particularly  to  the  works  of 
Yasari,  Descampes,  and  Fiorillo.  The  biographies  of 
Mdlles.  Bonheur,  Fauveau,  and  Hosmer  are  taken, 
with  a  little  condensing  and  shaping,  from  late  num- 
bers of  that  excellent  periodical,  "The  Englishwom- 
an's Journal."  The  sketches  of  many  living  artists 
were  prepared  from  materials  furnished  by  themselves 
or  their  friends. 


VI  PEEFACE. 

It  is  manifestly  impossible,  in  a  work  of  this  land, 
to  include  even  the  names  of  all  the  women  artists 
who  are  worthy  of  remembrance.  Among  those  of 
the  present  day  are  many  who  have  not  yet  had  suffi- 
cient experience  to  do  justice  to  their  own  powers,  and 
any  criticism  of  their  productions  would  be  premature 
and  unfair. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  in  the  following  pages 
to  give  elaborate  critiques  or  a  connected  history  of 
art.  The  aim  has  been  simply  to  show  what  woman 
has  done,  with  the  general  conditions  favorable  or  un- 
favorable to  her  efforts,  and  to  give  such  impressions 
of  the  character  of  each  prominent  artist  as  may  be 
derived  from  a  faithful  record  of  her  personal  experi- 
ences. More  may  be  learned  by  a  view  of  the  early 
struggles  and  trials,  the  persevering  industry  and  the 
well-earned  triumphs  of  the  gifted,  than  by  the  most 
erudite  or  fine-spun  disquisition.  Should  the  perusal 
of  my  book  inspire  with  courage  and  resolution  any 
woman  who  aspires  to  overcome  difficulties  in  the 
achievement  of  honorable  independence,  or  should  it 
lead  to  a  higher  general  respect  for  the  powers  of 
women  and  their  destined  position  in  the  realm  of 
Art,  my  object  will  be  accomplished.  E.  F.  E. 


CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   EARLY  AGES. 

Women  in  Art. — Kind  of  Painting  most  practiced  by  them. — Femi- 
nine Employments  in  early  Ages. — The  fair  Egyptians. — Women 
of  Assyria  and  Babylon. — Grecian  Women. — Sculpture  and  Paint- 
ing in  Greece. — The  Daughter  of  Dibutades. — The  Lover's  Profile. 
— The  first  Bas-relief. — Timarata.— Helena. — Anaxandra. — Kallo. 
— Cirene. — Calypso. — Other  Pupils  of  Grecian  Art. — The  Roman 
Women. — The  Paintress  Laya. — Lala. — Influence  of  Christianity 
on  Art. — Adornment  rejected  by  the  early  Christians. — Art  de- 
graded for  Centuries. — Female  Influence  among  the  Nations  that 
rose  on  the  Ruins  of  Rome. — Wise  and  clever  Princesses. — Anna 
Comnena, — The  first  Poetess  of  Germany. — The  first  Editress  of  a 
Cyclopaedia. — The  Art  of  Illuminating. — Nuns  employed  in  copy- 
ing and  painting  Manuscripts. — Agnes,  Abbess  of  Quedlinburg. — 
Princesses  at  work. — Convent  Sisters  copying  and  embellishing  re- 
ligious Works. — The  Nuns'  Printing-press. — The  first  Sculptress, 
Sabina  von  Steinbach. — Her  Works  in  the  Cathedral  of  Strasburg. 
— Elements  that  pervade  the  Sculpture  of  the  Middle  Ages. — Paint- 
ing of  the  Archbishop  crowning  Sabina Page  21 

CHAPTER  II. 

THE   FIFTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Commencement  of  the  History  of  modern  Art. — Causes  of  the  Barren- 
ness of  this  Century  in  female  Artists. — The  Decline  of  Chivalry 
unfavorable  to  their  mental  Development. — Passing  away  of  the 
Ideal  and  Supernatural  Element  in  Art. — New  Feeling  for  Na- 
ture.— New  Life  and  Action  in  Painting. — Portrayal  of  Feelings 
of  the  Heart. — Release  of  Painting  from  her  Trammels. — Severer 
Studies  necessary  for  Artists. — Woman  excluded  from  the  Pur- 
suit.— Patronage  sought. — One  female  Artist  representing  each 
prominent  School. — Margaretta  von  Eyck. — Her  Miniatures. — Ex- 
tensive Fame. — Her  Decoration  of  Manuscripts. — Work  in  Aid  of 
her  Brothers. — "The  gifted  Minerva." — Single  Blessedness. — 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

Another  Margaretta. — Copies  and  illuminates  MSS.  in  the  Car- 
thusian Convent. — Eight  folio  Volumes  filled. — Caterina  Vigri. — 
Her  Miniature  Paintings. — Founds  a  Convent. — "The  Saint  of 
Bologna." — Miraculous  Painting. — The  warrior  Maiden  Onorata. 
— Decorates  the  Palace  at  Cremona. — Insult  offered  her. — She 
kills  the  Insulter. — Flight  in  male  Attire. — Soldier  Life. — Delivers 
Castelleone. — The  mortal  Wound Page  32 

CHAPTER  III. 

THE    SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 

This  Century  rich  in  great  Painters. — Not  poor  in  female  Artists. — 
Memorable  Period  both  in  Poetry  and  Painting. — Fruits  of  the  La- 
bor of  preceding  Century  now  discernible. — Female  Disciples  in  all 
the  Schools  of  Italian  Art. — Superiority  of  the  Bolognese  School. — 
Properzia  Eossi. — Her  Beauty  and  finished  Education. — Caning 
on  Peach-stones. — Her  Sculptures. — The  famous  Bas-relief  of  Poti- 
phar's  Wife. — Properzia's  unhappy  Love. — Slander  and  Persecu- 
tion.— Her  Works  and  Fame. — Visit  of  the  Pope. — Properzia's 
Death. — Traditional  Story. — Isabella  Mazzoni  a  Sculptor.^A  fe- 
male Fresco  Painter. — Sister  Plautilla. — Her  Works  for  her  Convent 
Church. — Other  Works. — Women  Painters  of  the  Roman  School. — 
Teodora  Danti. — Female  Engravers. — Diana  Ghisi. — Irene  di  Spi- 
limberg. — Her  Education  in  Venice. — Titian's  Portrait  of  her. — 
Tasso's  Sonnet  in  her  Praise. — Poetical  Tributes  on  her  Death. — 
Her  Works  and  Merits. — Vincenza  Armani. — Marietta  Tintoretto. 
— Her  Beauty  and  musical  Accomplishments. — Excursions  in  Boy's 
Attire  with  her  Father.— Her  Portraits.— They  become  "  the  Rage." 
— Imitation  from  the  Emperor. — From  Philip  of  Spain. — The  Fa- 
ther's Refusal. — Her  Marriage  and  Death. — Portrait  of  her. — Wom- 
en Artists  of  Northern  Italy. — Barbara  Longhi  and  others. — The 
Nuns  of  Genoa 38 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 

The  six  wonderful  Sisters. — Sofonisba  Anguisciola. — Her  early 
Sketches. — Painting  of  three  Sisters. — Her  Success  in  Milan. — 
Invitation  to  the  Court  of  Madrid. — Pomp  of  her  Journey  and 
Reception. — The  Diamond. — Paints  the  Royal  Family  and  the 
Flower  of  the  Nobility. — Her  Present  to  Pope  Pius. — His  Letter. — 
Her  Style. — Lucia's  Picture. — Sofonisba  Governess  to  the  Infanta. 
Marriage  to  the  Lord  of  Sicily.— His  Death  at  Palermo.— The 
Widow's  Voyage. — The  gallant  Captain. — Second  Love  and  Mar- 


CONTENTS.  ix 

riage. — Her  Residence  at  Genoa. — Royal  Visitors. — Loss  of  Sight. 
— Vandyck  her  Guest. — Her  Influence  on  Art  in  Genoa. — Her 
Portrait  and  Works. — Sofonisba  Gentilesca. — Her  Miniatures  of 
the  Spanish  Royal  Family. — Caterina  Cantoni. — Ludovica  Pelle- 
grini.— Angela  Criscuolo. — Cecilia  Brusasorci. — Caterina  dei  Paz- 
zi. — Her  Style  shows  the  Infusion  of  a  new  Element  of  religious 
Enthusiasm  into  Art. — Tradition  of  her  painting  with  eyes  closed. 
— Her  Canonization. — Women  in  France  at  this  period. — Isabella 
Quatrepomme. — Women  in  Spain. — A  female  Doctor  of  Theology. 
— Change  wrought  by  Protestantism  in  the  Condition  of  Woman. 
— Its  Influence  on  Art. — An  English  Paintrcss. — Lavinia  Bcnic. 
— Catherine  Schwartz  in  Germany. — Eva  von  Iberg  in  Switzer- 
land.— Women  Painters  in  the  Netherlands. — Female  Talent  in 
Antwerp. — Albert  Durer's  Mention  of  Susannah  Gerard. — Cath- 
erine Hamsen. — Anna  Seghers. — Clara  de  Keyzer. — Licwina 
Bcnnings'  and  Susannah  Hurcmbout's  Visits  to  England. — The 
Engraver  Barbara. — The  Dutch  Engraver. — Constantia,  the  Flow- 
er Painter Page  48 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE   SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY. 

New  Ground  presented  for  Progress. — Greater  Diversity  of  Style. — 
Naturalism. — The  Caracci  instrumental  in  giving  to  Painting  the 
Impetus  of  Reform. — Their  Academy. — One  opened  by  a  Milanese 
Lady. — The  learned  Poetess  and  her  hundredth  Birthday. — Female 
Painters  and  E/igravers. — Lavinia  Fontana.— The  hasty  Judg- 
ment.— Lavinia  a  Pupil  of  Caracci. — Character  of  her  Pictures. — 
Honors  paid  to  her. — Courted  by  Royalty. — Her  Beauty  and  Suit- 
ors.— A  romantic  Lover. — Lavinia's  Paintings. — Close  of  the  Pe- 
riod of  the  Christian  Ideal  in  Art. — Lavinia's  Chef-d1  CEuvre. — Her 
Children. — Professional  Honors. — Her  Death. — Female  Disciples  of 
the  Caracci  School. — Pupils  of  Domenichino,  Lanfranco,  and  Guido 
Reni. — The  churlish  Guercino  a  Despiser  of  Women. — The  Cardi- 
nal's Niece  and  Heiress. — Her  great  Paintings. — Founds  a  Cloister. 
— Artemisia  Gentileschi,  a  Pupil  of  Guido. — Her  Portraits. — Visit 
to  England. — Favor  with  Charles  I. — Luxurious  Abode  in  Naples. — 
Her  Correspondence. — Judgment  of  her  Pictures. — Elisabetta  Si- 
rani. — Her  artistic  Character. — Her  household  Life. — Industry  and 
Modesty. — Her  Virtues  and  Graces. — Envious  Artists. — Defeat  of 
Calumny. — Her  mysterious  Fate. — Conjectures  respecting  it. — Fu- 
neral Obsequies. — Her  principal  Works. — Her  Influence  on  female 
Artists. — Her  Pupils. — Other  Women  Artists  of  Bologna 59 

A2 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   SEVENTEENTH   CENTUBY. 

School  of  the  Academicians  after  Caravaggio. — Unidealized  Nature. 
— Rude  and  violent  Passions  delineated. — Dark  and  stormy  Side  of 
Humanity.— Dark  Coloring  and  Shadows. — The  gloomy  and  pas- 
sionate expressed  in  Pictures  appeared  in  the  Lives  of  Artists. The 

Dagger  and  Poison-cup  common. — Amelia  di  Rosa. — The  Pupil  of 
Stanzioni. — Character  of  her  Painting. — Romantic  Love  and  Mar- 
riage.— The  happy  Home  destroyed. — The  hearth-stone  Serpent. — 
Jealousy. — The  pretended  Proof. — Phrensy  and  Murder. — Other 
fair  Neapolitans.— The  Paintress  of  Messina.— The  Schools  of  Bo- 
logna and  Naples  embrace  the  most  prominent  Italian  Paintings. 

Commencement  of  Crayon-drawing. — Tuscan  Ladies  of  Rank  cul- 
tivating Art.— The  Rosalba  of  the  Florentine  School.— Art  in  the 
City  of  the  Cassars. — The  Roman  Flower-painter. — Engravers. — 
Medallion-cutters. — A  female  Architect. — A  Roman  Sculptress. — 
Women  Artists  of  the  Venetian  School.— At  Pavia.— The  Paint- 
er's four  Daughters. — Chiara  Varotari. — Shares  her  Brother's  La- 
bors.— A  skillful  Nurse. — Her  Pupils. — Other  female  Artists  of 
this  time. — The  Schools  of  Northern  Italy. — Their  Paintresses. — 
Giovanna  Fratellini Page  74 

CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY. 

Contrast  between  the  Academicians  and  Naturalists,  and  between  the 
French  and  Spanish  Schools  of  Painting. — Peculiarities  of  each. — 
Ladies  of  Rank  in  Madrid  Pupils  of  Velasquez. — Instruction  of 
the  royal  Children  in  Art. — The  Engraver  of  Madrid. — Every  City 
in  the  South  of  Spain  boasts  a  female  Artist. — Isabella  Coello. — 
Others  in  Granada. — In  Cordova. — The  Sculptress  of  Seville. — 
Luisa  Roldan;  her  Carvings  in  Wood. — The  Canons  "sold." — 
Invitation  to  Madrid.  —  Sculptress  to  the  King.  —  Other  Women 
Artists  in  Spain. — In  France  Woman's  Position  more  prominent 
than  in  preceding  Age. — Corruption  of  court  Manners. — Unwor- 
thy Women  in  Power. — Women  in  every  Department  of  Litera- 
ture. —  Mademoiselle  de  Scudery.  —  Madame  de  la  Fayette.  — 
Madame  Dacier. — Women  in  theological  Pursuits.  —  Their  As- 
cendency in  Art  not  so  great. — Miniature  and  Flower  Painters. — 
Engravers.  —  Elizabeth  Sophie  Cheron.  —  A  Leader  in  Enamel- 
painting.  —  Her  Portraits  and  History-pieces.  —  Her  Merits  and 
Success. — Her  Translations  of  the  Psalms. — Musical  and  Poetical 


CONTENTS.  XI 

Talents. — Honors  lavished  on  her. — Love  and  Marriage  at  three- 
score. —  Her  Generosity  to  the  needy.  —  Verses  in  her  Praise. — 
Historical  Tableaux.  —  Madelaine  Masson. — The  Marchioness  de 
Pompadour Page  85 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY. 

Two  different  Systems  of  Painting  in  the  North. — The  Flemish  School 
represented  by  Kubens. — The  Dutch  by  Rembrandt. — Characteris- 
tics of  Rubens'  Style. — No  female  Disciples. — Unsuited  to  femi- 
nine Study. — Some  Women  Artists  of  the  first  Part  of  the  Cen- 
tury.— Features  of  the  Dutch  School. — A  wide  Field  for  female 
Energy  and  Industry. — Painting  de  genre. — Its  Peculiarities. — 
State  of  Things  favorable  to  female  Enterprise. — Early  Efforts  in 
Genre-painting.  —  Few  Women  among  Rembrandt's  immediate 
Disciples.  —  Genre-painting  becomes  adapted  to  female  Talent. — 
"The  Dutch  Muses." — Another  Woman  Architect.— Dutch  Wom- 
en Painters  and  Engravers. — Maria  Schalken  and  others. — "Tho 
second  Schurmann." — Margaretta  Godewyck. — The  Painter-poet. 
— Anna  Maria  Schurmann. — Wonderful  Genius  for  Languages. — 
Early  Acquirements. — Her  Scholarship  and  Position  among  the 
learned. — A  Painter,  Sculptor,  and  Engraver. — Called  "the Won- 
der of  Creation. " — Royal  and  princely  Visitors. — Journey  to  Ger- 
many.— Embraces  the  religious  Tenets  of  Labadic. — His  Doctrines. 
— Joins  his  Band. — Collects  his  Followers,  and  leads  them  into 
Friesland. — Poverty  and  Death. — Visit  of  William  Penn  to  her. 
— Her  Portrait. — Her  female  Contemporaries  in  Art. — Flower- 
painting  in  the  Netherlands. — Its  Pioneers. — Maria  Van  Ooster- 
wyck.  —  Her  Birth  and  Education.  — Early  Productions.  —  Cele- 
brated at  foreign  Courts. — Presents  from  imperial  Friends. — Enor- 
mous Prices  for  her  Pictures. — Royal  Purchasers. — The  quiet  Art- 
ist at  work. — The  Lover's  Visit. — The  Lover's  Trial  and  Failure. 
— Style  of  her  Painting. — Rachel  Ruysch. — The  greatest  Flower- 
painter. — Early  Instruction. — Spread  of  her  Fame.  —  Domestic 
Cares. — Professional  Honors. — Invitations  to  Courts. — Her  Pa- 
tron, the  Elector. — Her  Works  in  old  Age. — Her  Character. — 
Rarity  of  her  Paintings. — Personal  Appearance 94 

CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    SEVENTEENTH    CENTUBY. 

Unfavorable  Circumstances  for  Painting  in  Germany. — Effects  of  the 
Thirty  Years'  War. — The  national  Love  of  Art  shown  by  the  Signs 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

of  Life  manifested. — Influence  of  the  Reformation. — Inferiority  of 
German  Art  in  this  Century. — Ladies  of  Rank  in  Literature. — A 
female  Astronomer. — The  Fame  of  Schurmann  awakens  Emula- 
tion.— Distinguished  Women. — Commencement  of  poetic  Orders. 
Zesen,  the  Patron  of  the  Sex. — Women  who  cultivated  Art. — 
Paintresses  of  Nuremberg. — Barbara  Helena  Lange. — Flower- 
painters  and  Engravers. — Modeling  in  Wax. — Women  Artists  in 
Augsburg. — In  Munich. — In  Hamburg. — The  Princess  Hollandina. 
— Her  Paintings. — Maria  Sibylla  Merian. — Early  Fondness  for 
Insects. — Maternal  Opposition. — Her  Marriage. — Publication  of 
her  first  Work.  —  Joins  the  Labadists.  —  Returns  to  the  Butter- 
flies.— Curiosity  to  see  American  Insects. — Voyage  to  Surinam. — 
Story  of  the  Lantern-flies. — Return  to  Holland. — Her  Works  pub- 
lished.— Republication  in  Paris  afterward. — Her  Daughters. — 
Her  personal  Appearance. — The  Danish  Women  Artists. — Anna 
Crabbe. — King's  Daughters. — The  Taste  in  Art  in  Denmark  and 
England  governed  by  that  of  foreign  Nations. — Female  Artists  in 
England. — The  Poetesses  most  prominent. — Miniaturists. — Por- 
trait-painters. —  Etchers.  —  Lady  Connoisseurs.  —  The  Dwarf's 
Daughter. — Anna  Carlisle. — Mary  Beale. — Pupil  of  Sir  Peter 
Lely. — Character  of  her  Works. — Rumor  of  Lely's  Attachment  to 
her. — Poems  in  her  Praise. — Mr.  Beale's  Note-books. — Anne  Kil- 
legrew. — Her  Portraits  of  the  Royal  Family. — History  and  still-life 
Pieces. — Her  Portrait  by  Lely.— Her  Character. — Dry  den's  Odo 
to  her  Memory. — Her  Poems  published. — Mademoiselle  Rose'e. — 
The  Artist  in  Silk.— Wonderful  Effects.— Her  Works  Curiosities. 
— The  Artist  of  the  Scissors. — Her  singular  imitative  Powers. — A 
Copyist  of  old  Paintings. — Her  Cuttings. — Views  of  all  kinds  done 
with  the  Scissors. — Royal  and  imperial  Visitors. — Her  Trophy  for 
the  Emperor  Leopold. — Poems  in  her  Praise. — The  Swiss  Paintrcss 
Anna  Wasser. — Her  Education  and  Works. — Commissions  from 
Courts. — Her  Father's  Avarice. — Sojourn  at  a  Court. — Return 
home. — Fatal  Accident. — Her  literary  Accomplishments. .  Page  110 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY. 

General  Expansion  and  Extension  of  Art-culture. — More  Scope  given 
to  the  Tendencies  originated  in  preceding  Age. — Reminiscences  of 
past  Glories  of  Art  active  during  the  first  half  of  the  Century. — 
— The  Flemish  and  Italian  Schools  in  vogue. — Eclecticism. — In- 
fluences of  the  French  School  mingled  with  those  of  the  great  Mas- 
ters.— The  Rococo  Style. — The  Aggregate  of  Woman's  Labor  great- 


CONTENTS.  XI 11 

er  than  ever  before. — Not  accompanied  by  greater  Depth. — Less 
Individuality  discernible.  —  The  greatest  artistic  Activity  among 
Women  in  Germany. — In  France  next. — In  Italy  next. — In  other 
Countries  less. — Rapid  Growth  of  Art  in  Berlin. — In  Dresden. — 
Scholarship  and  literary  Position  of  Women  during  the  first  half 
of  the  Century. — Poets  and  their  Inspirations. — Princesses  the  Pa- 
trons of  Letters. — Nothing  new  or  striking  in  Art. — A  Revolution 
in  the  latter  half  of  the  Century. — Instruction  in  Art  a  Branch  of 
Education. — Dilettanti  of  high  Rank. — Female  Pupils  of  Painters 
of  Note. — Mengs  and  Carstens. — Carstens  the  Founder  of  modern 
German  Art. — His  Style  not  adapted  to  female  Talent. — A  lovely 
Form  standing  between  him  and  Mengs. — A  female  Stamp-cutter. 
— An  Artist  in  Wax-work. — In  Stucco-work. — In  cutting  precious 
Stones. — Barbara  Preisler. — Other  female  Artists. — Fashionable 
Taste  in  Painting. — Marianna  Hayd. — Miniaturists. — Anna  Maria 
Mengs. — Her  Works. — Miniature  and  Pastel-painting. — Flowers 
and  Landscapes  a  Passion. — Imitators  of  Rachel  Ruysch  and  Mad- 
ame Merian. — Celebrities  in  Flower-painting. — Copper-engraving. 
Lady  Artists  of  high  Rank. — Other  Devotees  to  Art Page  132 

CHAPTER  XI. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY. 

Angelica  Kauffman. — Parentage  and  Birth. — Beautiful  Scenery  of 
her  native  Land. — Early  Impulse  to  Painting. — Adopts  the  Style 
of  Mengs.  —  Her  Residence  in  Como.  —  Instruction.  —  Music  or 
Painting  ?  —  Beauty  of  Nature  around  her.  —  Angelica's  Letter 
about  Como. — Escape  from  Cupid. — Removal  to  Milan. — Intro- 
duction to  great  Works  of  Art. — Studies  of  the  Lombard  Masters. 
— The  Duke  of  Modena  her  Patron. — Portrait  of  the  Duchess  of 
Carrara. — Success. — Return  to  Schwarzenberg. — Painting  in  Fres- 
co.— Homely  Life  of  the  Artist. — Milan  and  Florence. — Rome. — 
Acquaintance  with  Winkelmann. — Angelica  paints  his  Portrait. — 
Goes  to  Naples. — Studies  in  Rome. — In  Venice. — Acquaintance 
with  noble  English  Families. — In  London. — A  brilliant  Career. — 
Fuseli's  Attachment  to  her. — Appointed  Professor  in  the  Academy 
of  Arts. — Romantic  Incident  of  her  Travel  in  Switzerland. — The 
weary  Travelers. — The  libertine  Lord. — The  Maiden's  Indigna- 
tion.— Unexpected  Meeting  in  the  aristocratic  Circles  of  London. 
—The  Lord's  Suit  renewed.  — Rejected  with  Scorn.  — His  Rank 
and  Title  spurned. — Revenge. — The  Impostor  in  Society. — Ange- 
lica deceived  into  Marriage. — She  informs  the  Queen. — Her  Fa- 
ther's Suspicions. — Discovery  of  the  Cheat. — The  Wife's  Despair. 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

— The  false  Marriage  annulled.  — The  Queen's  Sympathy. — Sto- 
ries of  Angelica's  Coquetry. — Marriage  with  Zucchi. — Return  to 
Italy. — Her  Father's  Death. — Residence  in  Rome. — Circle  of  lit- 
erary Celebrities. — Angelica's  Works. — Criticisms. — Opinions  of 
Mengs  and  Fuseli. — The  Portraits  in  the  Pitti  Gallery. — Death  of 
Zucchi.  —  Invasion  of  Italy.  —  Angelica's  Melancholy.  —  Journey 
and  Return. — Her  Death  and  Funeral Page  144 

CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY. 

Female  Artists  in  the  Scandinavian  Countries. — In  Sweden. — Ulrica 
Pasch. — Danish  Women  Artists. — A  richer  Harvest  in  the  Nether- 
lands.— The  Belgian  Sculptress. — Maria  Verelst. — Her  Paintings 
and  Attainments  in  the  Languages. — Residence  in  London. — 
Curious  Anecdote. — Walpole's  Remark. — Women  Artists  in  Hol- 
land.— Poetry. — Henrietta  Wolters. — Her  Portraits. — Invitation 
from  Peter  the  Great. — Dutch  Paintrcsses. — The  young  Engraver. 
— Caroline  Scheffer. — Landscape  and  Flower  Painters. — A  Fol- 
lower of  Rachel  Ruysch. — An  Engraver. — In  England. — Painting 
suited  to  Women. — Literary  Ladies. — Effect  of  the  Introduction 
of  a  new  Manner  in  Art. — Numerous  Dilettanti. — Female  Sculp- 
tors.— Mrs.  Samon. — Mrs.  Siddons  and  others. — Mrs.  Darner. — 
Aristocratic  Birth. — Early  love  of  Study  and  Art. — Horace  Wai- 
pole  her  Adviser. — Conversation  with  Hume. — First  Attempt  at 
Modeling. — The  Marble  Bust  and  Hume's  Criticism. — Surprise 
of  the  gay  World. — Miss  Conway's  Lessons  and  Works. — Unfor- 
tunate Marriage. — Widowhood. — Politics. — Walpole's  Opinion  of 
Mrs.  Darner's  Sculptures. — Darwin's  Lines. — Sculptures. — Envy 
and  Detraction. — Going  abroad. — Escape  from  Danger. — Noble 
Ambition. — Return  to  England. — Politics  and  Kissing. — Private 
Theatricals. — The  three  Heroes. — Friendship  with  the  Empress. 
— Walpole's  Bequest. — Parlor  Theatricals,  etc. — Removal. — Proj- 
ect for  improving  India. —  Mrs.  Darner's  Works. —  Opinions  of 
her 1G4 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY. 

Mary  Moser. — Nollekens'  House. — Skill  in  Flower-painting. — The 
Fashions. — Queen  Charlotte. — Patience  Wright. — Birth  in  New 
Jersey. — Quaker  Parents. — Childish  Taste  for  Modeling. — Mar- 
riage.— Widowhood. — Wax  -  modeling. — Rivals  Madame  Tus- 
saud. — Residence  in  England. — Sympathy  with  America  in  Re- 


CONTENTS.  XV 

bcllion. — Correspondence  with  Franklin. — Intelligence  conveyed. 
— Freedom  of  Speech  to  Majesty. — Franklin's  Postscript. — "The 
Promethean  Modeler." — Letter  to  Jefferson. — Patriotism. — Art 
the  Fashion. — Aristocratic  lady  Artists. — Princesses  Painting. — 
Lady  Beauclerk. — Walpole's  "Beauclerk  Closet." — Designs  and 
Portrait. — Lady  Lucan. — Her  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare. — Wai- 
pole's  Criticism. — Other  Works. — Mary  Benvvell  and  others. — 
Anna  Smyters  and  others. — Madame  Prestel. — Mrs.  Grace. — Mrs. 
Wright. — Flower-painters. — Catherine  Read  and  others. — Maria 
Cosway. — Peril  in  Infancy. — Lessons. — Resolution  to  take  the 
Veil. — Visit  to  London. — Marriage. — Cosway's  Painting. — Vanity 
and  Extravagance. — The  beautiful  Italian  Paintress. — Cosway's 
Prudence  and  Management. — Brilliant  evening  Receptions. — 
Aristocratic  Friends. — The  Epigram  on  the  Gate. — Splendid  new 
House  and  Furniture. — Failing  Health. — France  and  Italy. — In- 
stitution at  Lodi. — Singnlar  Occurrence. — Death  of  Cosway. — 
Return  to  Lodi. — Maria's  Style  and  Works Page  181 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Close  of  the  golden  Age  of  Art  in  France. — Corruption  of  Manners. 
— Influence  of  female  Genius. — Reign  of  Louis  XVI. — Female 
Energy  in  the  Revolution. — Charlotte  Corday. — Greater  Number 
of  female  Artists  in  Germany. — Reasons  why. — French  Women 
devoted  to  Engraving. — Stamp-cutters. — A  Sculptress  enamored. 
— A  few  Paintresscs. — The  Number  increasing. — Influence  of  the 
great  French  Masters. — Sevres-painting. — Genre-painting. — Dis- 
ciples of  Grcuze. — Portrait-painting  in  vogue. — Caroline  Sattlcr. 
— Flower-painters,  etc. — Engravers. — Two  eminent  Paintresses. — 
Adelaide  Vincent. — Marriage. — Portraits  and  other  Works. — The 
Revolution. — Elizabeth  Le  Bran. — Talent  for  Painting. — Her  Fa- 
ther's Delight. — Instruction. — Friendship  with  Vernet. — Poverty 
and  Labor. — Avaricious  Step-father. — Her  Earnings  squandered. 
— Success  and  Temptation. — Acquaintance  with  Le  Brun. — Ma- 
ternal Counsels  to  Marriage. — Secret  Marriage. — Warnings  too 
late. — The  Mask  falls. — Luxury  for  the  Husband,  Labor  and  Pri- 
vation for  the  Wife. — Success  and  Scandal. — French  Society. — 
Friendship  with  Marie  Antoinette. — La  Harpe's  Poem. — Evening 
Receptions. — Splendid  Entertainments. — Scarcity  of  Seats. — Petits 
Soupers. — The  Grecian  Banquet. — Reports  concerning  it. — De- 
parture from  France. — Triumphal  Progress. — Reception  in  Bologna. 
— In  Rome. — In  Naples. — In  Florence. — Madame  Le  Bran's  Por- 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

trait. — Goethe's  Remarks. — New  Honors. — Reception  at  Vienna. 
— An  old  Friend  in  Berlin. — Residence  in  Russia. — Return  to 
France. — Loyalty. — Her  Pictures. — Death  of  her  Husband  and 
Daughter. —  Advanced  Age. — Autobiography. — An  emblematic 
Life " Page  190 

CHAPTER  XV. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY. 

Women  Artists  in  Spain. — Their  Participation  a  Test  of  general 
Interest. — Female  Representatives  of  the  most  important  Schools. 
— That  of  Seville. — Of  Madrid. — The  Paintress  of  Don  Quixote. 
— Ladies  of  Rank  Members  of  the  Academy. — Maria  Tibaldi. — 
Two  female  Artists  besides  two  Poetesses  in  Portugal. — The  Har- 
vest greater  in  Italy. — Few  attained  to  Eminence. — Learned  La- 
dies.— Female  Doctors  and  Professors. — Degrees  in  Jurisprudence 
and  Philosophy  conferred  on  them. — Examples. — The  Scholar 
nine  Years  old. — A  lady  Professor  of  Mathematics. — Women  Lec- 
turers.— Comparison  with  English  Ladies. — Brilliant  Devotees  of 
the  Lyre. — Female  Talent  in  the  important  Schools  of  Art. — 
Women  Artists  in  Florence. —  Engravers  and  Paintresses. —  In 
Naples. — Kitchen-pieces. — In  the  Cities  of  northern  Italy. — In  Bo- 
logna.— Princesses. — In  Venice. — Rosalba  Camera. — Her  child- 
ish Work. — Her  Genius  perceived. — Instruction. — Takes  to  Pas- 
tel-painting.— Merits  of  her  Works. — Celebrity. — Invitations  to 
Paris  and  Vienna. — Visit  from  the  King  of  Denmark. — Invited 
by  the  Emperor  and  the  King  of  France. — Portrait  for  the  Grand 
Duke  of  Tuscany. — The  King  of  Poland  her  Patron. — Unspoiled 
by  Honors. — Her  moral  Worth. — Residence  in  Paris. — Her  Pic- 
tures.— The  Lady  disguised  as  a  Maid-servant. — Want  of  Beauty. 
— Anecdote  of  the  Emperor. — Rosalba's  Journal. — Visit  to  Vien- 
na.— Presentiment  of  Calamity. — The  Portrait  wreathed  with 
gloomy  Leaves. — Blindness. — Loss  of  Reason. — Death  and  Burial. 
— Her  Portrait. — Other  Venetian  Women 221 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE   NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 

— -b  More  vigorous  Growth  of  the  Branches  selected  for  female  Enterprise. 
—  Progress  accelerated  toward  the  Close  of  last  Century.  —  Still 
more  remarkable  within  the  last  fifty  Years.  —  Great  Number  of 
Women  active  in  Art.  —  Better  intellectual  Cultivation  and  grow- 
ing Taste. — Increased  Freedom  of  Woman. — Present  Prospect  fair. 
—Growing  Sense  of  the  Importance  of  Female  Education.— Worn- 


CONTENTS.  XV11 

en  earning  an  Independence.  —  The  Stream  shallows  as  it  widens. 

—  Few  Instances  of  pre-eminent  Ability.  — Fuller  Scope  of  the  In- 
fluence of  the  French  Masters  in  the  nineteenth  Century. — David, 
the  Republican  Painter. — His  female  Pupils. — Angelique  Mongez. 
— Madame  Davin  and  others.  —  Disciples  of  Greuze.  —  Female 
Scholars  of  Regnault. — Pupils  of  the  Disciples  of  David. — Pupils 
of  Fleury  and  Cogniet. — Madame  Chaudet. — Kinds  of  Painting  in 
Vogue. — The  Princess  Marie  d'Orleans. — Her  Statue  of  the  Maid 
of  Orleans. — Her  last  Work. — Promise  of  Greatness. — Sculpture 
by  Madame  de  Lamartine.  —  "Paris  is  France."  —  Painting  on 
Porcelain. — Madame  Jacotot  and  others. — Condition  of  Art  in 
Germany.  — Carstens.  — Women  Artists.  — Maria  Ellenrieder. — 
Louise  Seidler. — Baroness  von  Freiberg. — Madame  von  Schroeter. 
— Female  Artists  of  the  Dusseldorf  School. — The  greatest  Number 
in  Berlin. — Rich  Bloom  of  Female  Talent  in  Vienna  and  Dresden. 
— Changes  in  Italy. — Prospect  not  fair  in  Spain  and  Scandinavia. 

—  In  England,  Sculpture  and  Painting  successfully  cultivated.  — 
Fanny  Corbeaux. — Superior  in  Biblical  Scholarship. — The  Nether- 
lands in  this  Century. — Encouragement  for  Women  to  persevere. — 
Dr.  Guhl's  Opinion. — History  the  Teacher  of  the  Present.. Page  233 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY. 

Felicie  de  Fauveau. — Parentage. — Her  Mother  a  Legitimist. — The 
Daughter's  Inheritance  of  Loyalty. — Removals. — Felicie's  Studies. 
— Learns  to  Model. — Resolves  to  be  a  Sculptor. — Labor  becoming 
to  a  Gentlewoman. — Her  first  Works. — Early  Triumphs. — Social 
Circle  in  Paris.  —  Evening  Employments. — Revival  of  a  peculiar 
Taste.  —  Mediaeval  Fashions.  —  The  bronze  Lamp.  —  Equestrian 
Sketch.— Effect  of  the  Revolution  of  1830.— The  two  Felicies  leave 
Paris. — A  rural  Conspiracy. — A  domiciliary  Visit. — Escape  of  the 
Ladies. — Discovery  and  Capture. — The  Stratagem  at  the  Inn. — 
Escape  of  Madame  in  Disguise. — Imprisonment  of  Mademoiselle. 
— Works  in  Prison. — Return  to  Paris. — Politics  again. — Felicie 
banished. — Breaks  up  her  Studio. — Poverty  and  Privation. — Resi- 
dence in  Florence. — Brighter  Days. — Character  of  Felicie. — Per- 
sonal Appearance. — Her  Dwelling  and  Studio.  —  Her  Works.— 
The  casting  of  a  bronze  Statue. — Industry  and  Retirement. — "A 
good  Woman  and  a  great  Artist." — ROSA  BONHEUR. — Her  Birth  in 
Bordeaux. — Her  Father. — Rosa  a  Dunce  in  Childhood. — Her  Par- 
rot.— Rambles. — The  Spanish  Poet. — Removal  to  Paris. — Revolu- 
tion and  Misfortune. — Death  of  Madame  Bonheur. — The  Children 


XV111  CONTENTS. 

at  School. — Rosa  detests  Books  and  loves  Eoaming. — Remarriage 
of  Bonheur. — Rosa  a  Seamstress. — Hates  the  Occupation. — Prefers 
turning  the  Lathe. — Her  Unhappiness. — Placed  at  a  Boarding- 
school. — Her  Pranks  and  Caricatures. — Abhorrence  of  Study. — 
Mortification  at  her  Want  of  fine  Clothes. — Resolves  to  achieve  a 
Name  and  a  Place  in  the  World. — Discontent  and  Gloom. — Re- 
turn home. — Left  to  herself. — Works  in  the  Studio. — Her  Voca- 
tion apparent. — Studies  at  the  Louvre. — Her  Ardor  and  Applica- 
tion. —  The  Englishman's  Prophecy.  —  Rosa  vowed  to  Art.  —  De- 
voted to  the  Study  of  Animals.  —  Excursions  in  the  Country  in 
search  of  Models. — Visits  the  Abattoirs. — Study  of  various  Types. 
— Visits  the  Museums  and  Stables. — Resorts  to  the  horse  and  cat- 
tle Fairs  in  male  Attire. — Curious  Adventures. — Anatomical  Stud- 
ies.— Advantages  of  her  Excursions. — Her  Father  her  only  Teach- 
er.— The  Family  of  Artists. — Rosa's  pet  Birds  and  Sheep. — Her 
first  Appearance. — Rising  Reputation. — Takes  the  gold  Medal. — 
Proclaimed  the  new  Laurcat. — Death  of  her  Father. — Rosa  Di- 
rectress of  the  School  of  Design. — Her  Sister  a  Professor. — "The 
Horse-market." — Rosa's  Paintings. — Bestows  her  Fortune  on  others. 
— Her  Farm. — Drawings  presented  to  Charities. — Demand  for  her 
Paintings. — Her  Right  to  the  Cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honor. — The 
Emperor's  Refusal  to  grant  it  to  a  Woman. — Description  of  her 
Residence  and  her  Studio.  —  Rosa  found  asleep.  —  Her  personal 
Appearance. — Dress. — Her  Character. — Her  Industry. — Mademoi- 
selle Micas. — Mountain  Rambles. — Rosa's  Visit  to  Scotland. — Her 
Life  in  the  Mountains.  —  At  the  Spanish  Posada.  —  Threatened 
Starvation. — Cooking  Frogs.  —  The  Muleteers. — Rosa's  Scotch 
Terrier. — Her  Resolution  never  to  many Page  246 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY. 

The  Practice  of  Art  in  America. — Number  of  women  Artists  in- 
creasing.— Prospect  flattering. — Imperfection  of  Sketches  of  living 
Artists. — Rosalba  Torrens. — Miss  Murray. — Mrs.  Lupton. — Miss 
Denning.— Miss  O'Hara.— Mrs.  Darley. — Mrs.  Goodrich. — Miss 
Foley. — Miss  Mackintosh  and  others. — Mrs.  Ball  Hughes. — Mrs. 
Chapin. — Sketch  of  Mrs.  Duncan. — The  Peale  Family. — Anec- 
dote of  General  Washington. — Mrs.  Washington's  Punctuality. — 
Miss  Peale  an  Artist  in  Philadelphia. — Paints  Miniatures. — Copies 
Pictures  from  great  Artists. — She  and  her  Sister  honorary  Mem- 
bers of  the  Academy. — Her  prosperous  Career. — Paints  with  her 
Sister  in  Baltimore  and  Washington. — Marriage  and  Widowhood. 


CONTENTS.  XIX 

—Return  to  Philadelphia. — Second  Marriage. — Happy  Home. — 
Mrs.  Yeates. — Miss  Sarah  M.  Peale. — Success. — Removal  to  St. 
Louis. — Miss  Rosalba  Peale. — Miss  Ann  Leslie. — Early  Taste  in 
Painting. — Visits  to  London. — Copies  Pictures. — Miss  Sarah  Cole. 
— Mrs.  Wilson. — Intense  Love  of  Art. — Her  Sculptures. — Her 
impromptu  Modeling  of  Emerson's  Head. — Mrs.  Cornelius  Dubois. 

Her  Taste  for  the  Sculptor's  Art. — Groups  by  her. — Studies  in 

Italy. Her  Cameos. — Her  Kindness  to  Artists. — Miss  Anne  Hall. 

Early  Love  of  Painting. — Lessons. — Copies  old  Paintings  in 

Miniature. — Her  original  Pictures. — Her  Merits  of  the  highest  Or- 
der.— Groups  in  Miniature. — Dunlap's  Praise. — Her  Productions 
numerous.— Mary  S.  Lcgare.— Her  Ancestry.— Mrs.  Legare'.— 
Early  Fondness  for  Art  shown  by  the  Daughter. — Her  Studies. — 
Little  Beauty  in  the  Scenery  familiar  to  her. — Colonel  Cogdcll's 
Sympathy  with  her. — Success  in  Copying. — Visit  to  the  Blue  Ridge. 
— Grand  Views. — Paintings  of  mountain  Scenery. — Removal  to 
Iowa. — "Legare  College." — Her  Erudition  and  Energy. — Her  Mar- 
riage.— Herminie  Dassel. — Reverse  of  Fortune. — Painting  for  a 
Living. — Visit  to  Vienna  and  Italy. — Removal  to  America. — Suc- 
cess .and  Marriage. — Her  social  Virtues  and  Charity. — Miss  Jane 
Stuart. — Mrs.  Ilildreth. — Mrs.  Davis. — Mrs.  Badger's  Book  of  Flow- 
ers.— Mrs.  Hawthorne. — Mrs.  Hill. — Mrs.  Greatorex. — Mrs.  Wood- 
man.—  Miss  Gove.  —  Miss  May.  —  Miss  Granbury.  —  Miss  Oak- 
ley  Page  285 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY. 

MRS.  LILT  SPENCER. — Early  Display  of  Talent. — Removal  to  New 
York. — To  Ohio. — Out-door  Life. — Chase  of  a  Deer. — Encounter 
with  the  Hog. — Lifting  a  Log. — Sketch  on  her  bedroom  Walls. — 
Encouragement.— Curiosity  to  see  her  Pictures. — Her  Studies. — 
Removal  to  Cincinnati. — Jealousy  of  Artists. — Lord  Morpeth. — 
Lily's  Marriage. — Return  to  New  York. — Studies. — Her  Paint- 
ings. —  Kitchen  Scenes.  —  Success  and  Fame.  —  Her  Home  and 
Studio. — Louisa  Lander. — Inheritance  of  Talent.  —  Passion  for 
Art. — Development  of  Taste  for  Sculpture. — Abode  in  Rome. — 
Crawford's  Pupil.— Her  Productions.— "Virginia  Dare."— Other 
Sculptures.  —  Late  Works.  —Mary  Weston.  —  Childish  Love  of 
Beauty  and  Art. — Devices  to  supply  the  Want  of  Facilities. — Stud- 
ies.— Departure  from  Home. — Is  taken  back. — Perseverance  amid 
Difficulties. — Journey  to  New  York. — Sees  an  Artist  work. — Finds 
Friends. — Visit  to  Hartford. — Return  to  New  York  for  Lessons. — 


XX  CONTENTS. 

Marriage. — Her  Paintings. — Miss  Freeman. — Variously  gifted. — 
Miss  Dupre'.—  The  Misses  Withers.— Mrs.  Cheves.— Mrs.  Han- 
na Page  317 

CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  NINETEENTH   CENTURY. 

EMMA  STEBBINS. — Favorable  Circumstances  of  her  early  Life  to  the 
Study  of  Art. — Specimens  of  her  Skill  shown  in  private  Circles. — 
Receives  Instruction  from  Henry  Inman. — Correctness  of  her  Por- 
traits.— "A  Book  of  Prayer." — Revives  Taste  for  Illuminations. — 
Her  crayon  Portraits. — Copies  of  Paintings.  —  Cultivates  many 
Branches  of  Art. — Becomes  a  Sculptor. — Abode  in  Rome. — In- 
struction received  from  Gibson  and  Akers. — Late  Work  from  her 
Chisel.  —  "The  Miner."  — HARRIET  HOSMER.  —  Dwelling  of  the 
Sculptor  Gibson  in  Rome.  — His  Studio  and  Work-room.  —  "La 
Signorina." — The  American  Sculptress. — Her  Childhood. — Phys- 
ical Training. — School-life. — Anecdotes. — Studies  at  Home. — At 
St.  Louis. — Her  Independence. — Trip  on  the  Mississippi. — "Hes- 
per."  —  Departure  for  Rome.  —  Mr.  Gibson's  Decision.  —  Extract 
from  Miss  Hosmer's  Letter. —  Original  Designs. — Reverse  of  For- 
tune.— Alarm. — Resolution. — Industry,  Economy,  and  Success. 
—Late  Works.— Visit  of  the  Prince  of  Wales 346 


WOMEN  ARTISTS, 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  EAELY  AGES. 

Women  in  Art. — Kind  of  Painting  most  practiced  by  them. — Femi- 
nine Employments  in  early  Ages. — The  fair  Egyptians. — Women 
of  Assyria  and  Babylon. — Grecian  Women. — Sculpture  and  Paint- 
ing in  Greece. — The  Daughter  of  Dibutades. — The  Lover's  Profile. 
— The  first  Bas-relief. — Timarata. — Helena. — Anaxandra. — Kallo. 
— Cirene. — Calypso. — Other  Pupils  of  Grecian  Art. — The  Roman 
Women. — The  Paintress  Laya. — Lala. — Influence  of  Christianity 
on  Art. — Adornment  rejected  by  the  early  Christians. — Art  de- 
graded for  Centuries. — Female  Influence  among  the  Nations  that 
rose  on  the  Ruins  of  Rome. — Wise  and  clever  Princesses. — Anna 
Comnena. — The  first  Poetess  of  Germany. — The  first  Editress  of  a 
Cyclopaedia. — The  Art  of  Illuminating. — Nuns  employed  in  copy- 
ing and  painting  Manuscripts. — Agnes,  Abbess  of  Quedlinburg. — 
Princesses  at  work. — Convent  Sisters  copying  and  embellishing  re- 
ligious Works. — The  Nuns'  Printing-press. — The  first  Sculptress, 
Sabina  von  Steinbach. — Her  Works  in  the  Cathedral  of  Strasburg. 
— Elements  that  pervade  the  Sculpture  of  the  Middle  Ages. — Paint- 
ing of  the  Archbishop  crowning  Sabina. 

"  MEN  have  not  grudged  to  women,"  says  a  modern 
writer,  "the  wreaths  of  literary  fame.  No  history  of 
literature  shows  a  period  when  their  influence  was  not 
apparent,  when  honors  were  not  rendered  to  them ;" 
and  the  social  condition  of  woman  has  been  general- 
ly allowed  to  measure  the  degree  of  intellectual  cul- 
ture in  a  nation.  Although  in  the  realm  of  art  her 
success  is  more  questionable,  she  may  yet  claim  the 
credit  of  having  materially  aided  its  progress.  Worn- 


22  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

an  is  the  type  of  the  ornamental  part  of  our  life,  and 
lends  to  existence  the  charm  which  inspires  the  artist, 
and  furnishes  him  with  an  object  for  effort.  Her  na- 
tive unconscious  grace  and  beauty  present  the  models 
which  it  is  his  highest  merit  to  copy  faithfully. 

A  New  England  divine  says,  "  Woman,  like  man, 
wants  to  make  her  thought  a  thing."  "  All  that  be- 
longs to  the  purely  natural,"  observes  Hippel,  "lies 
within  her  sphere.'*  The  kind  of  painting,  thus,  in 
which  the  object  is  prominent  has  been  most  practiced 
by  female  artists.  Portraits,  landscapes,  flowers,  and 
pictures  of  animals  are  in  favor  among  them.  Histor- 
ical or  allegorical  subjects  they  have  comparatively 
neglected;  and,  perhaps,  a  sufficient  reason  for  this 
has  been  that  they  could  no*t  command  the  years  of 
study  necessary  for  the  attainment  of  eminence  in 
these.  More  have  been  engaged  in  engraving  on  cop- 
per than  in  any  other  branch  of  art,  and  many  have 
been  miniature  painters. 

-7  Such  occupations  might  be  pursued  in  the  strict  se- 
clusion of  home,  to  which  custom  and  public  senti- 
ment consigned  the  fair  student.  Nor  were  they  in- 
harmonious with  the  ties  of  friendship  and  love  to 
which  her  tender  nature  clung.  In  most  instances 
women  have  been  led  to  the  cultivation  of  art  through 
the  choice  of  parents  or  brothers.  While  nothing  has 
been  more  common  than  to  see  young  men  embracing 
the  profession  against  the  wishes  of  their  families  and 
in  the  face  of  difficulties,  the  example  of  a  woman  thus 
deciding  for  herself  is  extremely  rare. 
— >  We  know  little  of  the  practice  of  the  arts  by  women 
in  ancient  times.  The  degraded  condition  of  the  sex 
in  Eastern  countries  rendered  woman  the  mere  slave 
and  toy  of  her  master;  but  this  very  circumstance 


THE  EAKLY  AGES.  23 

gave  her  artistic  ideas  capable  of  development  into  in- 
dependent action.  These  first  showed  themselves  in 
the  love  of  dress  and  the  selection  of  ornaments. 
From  the  early  ages  of  the  world,  too,  spinning  and 
weaving  were  feminine  employments,  in  which  undy- 
ing germs  of  art  were  hidden ;  for  it  belongs  to  human 
nature  never  to  be  satisfied  with  what  merely  minis- 
ters to  necessity.  The  ancient  sepulchres  and  buried 
palaces  disclosed  by  modern  discovery  display  the 
love  of  adornment  prevailing  among  the  nations  of 
antiquity.  Women  rendered  assistance  in  works  upon 
wood  and  metal,  as  well  as,  more  frequently,  in  the 
productions  of  the  loom.  The  fair  Egyptians  covered 
their  webs  with  the  most  delicate  patterns ;  and  the 
draperies  of  the  dead  and  the  ornamented  hangings  in 
their  dwellings  ^attested  the  skill  of  the  women  of  As- 
syria and  Babylon. 

The  shawls  and  carpets  of  Eastern  manufacture,  and 
other  articles  of  luxury  that  furnished  the  palaces  of 
European  monarchs,  were  often  the  work  of  delicate 
hands,  though  no  tradition  has  preserved  the  names 
of  those  who  excelled  in  such  labors. 

Among  the  ancient  Greeks  the  position  of  woman, 
though  still  secluded  and  slavish,  gave  her  a  nobler 
life.  The  presiding  deities  of  the  gentle  arts  were 
represented  to  popular  apprehension  in  female  form, 
and,  doubtless,  the  gracious  influence  the  sex  has  in 
all  ages  exercised  was  then  in  some  measure  recog- 
nized. Poetry  had  her  fair  votaries,  and  names  are 
still  remembered  that  deserve  to  live  with  Sappho. 
Schools  of  philosophy  were  presided  over  by  the  gift- 
ed and  cultivated  among  women. 

Sculpture  and  architecture,  the  arts  carried  to  great- 
est perfection,  were  then  far  in  advance  of  painting ; 


24  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

at  least,  we  know  of  no  relics  that  can  support  the 
pretensions  of  the  Greeks  to  superiority  in  the  lat- 
ter. "  What  is  left,"  says  a  writer  in  the  "  Westmin- 
ster Keview,"  "of  Apelles  and  Zeuxis?  The  few 
relics  of  ancient  painting  which  have  survived  the 
lapse  of  ages  and  the  hand  of  the  spoiler  all  date  from 
the  time  of  the  Eoman  Empire ;  and  neither  the  fres- 
coes discovered  beneath  the  baths  of  Titus,  the  deco- 
rations of  Pompeii  and  Herculaneum,  nor  even  the  two 
or  three  cabinet  pictures  found  beneath  the  buried 
city,  can  be  admitted  as  fair  specimens  of  Grecian 
painting  in  its  zenith." 

THE  DAUGHTER  OF  DIBUTADES. 

But,  though  few  Grecian  women  handled  the  pencil 
or  the  chisel,  and  women  were  systematically  held  in 
a  degree  of  ignorance,  we  find  here,  on  the  threshold 
of  the  history  of  art,  a  woman's  name — "that  of  Kora, 
or,  as  she  has  been  called,  Callirhoe,  the  daughter  of  a 
potter  named  Dibutades,  a  native  of  Corinth,  said  to 
have  resided  at  Sicyonia  about  the  middle  of  the 
seventh  century  before  Christ.  Pliny  tells  us  she  as- 
sisted her  father  in  modeling  clay.  The  results  of  his 
labor  were  arranged  on  shelves  before  his  house, 
which  the  purchasers  usually  left  vacant  before  even- 
ing. It  was  the  office  of  his  daughter,  says  a  fanci- 
ful chronicler,  to  fill  the  more  elaborate  vases  with 
choice  flowers,  which  the  young  men  came  early  to 
look  at,  hoping  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  graceful  art- 
ist maiden. 

As  she  went  draped  in  her  veil  to  the  market-place, 
she  often  met  a  youth,  who  afterward  became  an  as- 
sistant to  her  father  in  his  work.  He  was  skilled  in 
much  learning  unknown  to  the  secluded  girl,  and  in 


KORA — TIMAKATA.  25 

playing  on  the  reed;  and  the  daily  life  of  father, 
daughter,  and  lover  presented  an  illustration  of  Gre- 
cian life  and  beauty.  The  youth  was  constrained  at 
length  to  depart,  but  ere  he  went  the  vows  of  betroth- 
al were  exchanged  between  him  and  Kora. 

Their  eve  of  parting  was  a  sad  one.  As  they  sat 
together  by  the  lamplight  the  maiden  suddenly  rose, 
and,  taking  up  a  piece  of  pointed  charcoal  from  the 
brasier,  and  bidding  the  young  man  remain  still,  she 
traced  on  the  wall  the  outline  of  his  fine  Grecian  pro- 
file, as  a  memorial  when  he  should  be  far  away.  Di- 
butades  saw  the  sketch  she  had  made,  and  recognized 
the  likeness.  Carefully  he  filled  the  outline  with  clay, 
and  a  complete  medallion  was  formed.  It  was  the 
first  portrait  in  relief!  Thus  a  new  art  was  born  into 
the  world,  the  development  of  which  brought  fortune 
and  fame  to  the  inventor !  The  story  is,  at  least,  as 
probable  as  that  of  Saurias  discovering  the  rules  of 
sketching  and  contour  from  the  shadow  of  his  horse. 
It  was  neither  the  first  nor  the  last  time  that  Love  be- 
came a  teacher.  Might  not  the  fable  of  Memnon  thus 
find  its  realization  ? 

It  is  related  that  Dibutades,  who  had  followed  up 
his  medallions  with  busts,  became  so  celebrated,  that 
many  Grecian  states  claimed  the  honor  of  his  birth; 
and  that  his  daughter's  lover,  who  came  back  to  es- 
pouse her,  modeled  whole  figures  in  Corinth.  A 
school  for  modeling  was  instituted  about  this  time  in 
Sicyonia,  of  which  Dibutades  was  the  founder. 

At  a  later  period  we  hear  of  Timarata,  the  daughter 
of  a  painter,  and  herself  possessed  of  considerable  skill, 
as  Pliny  testifies,  he  having  seen  one  of  her  pictures 
at  Ephesus,  representing  the  goddess  Diana. 

Several  names  of  female  artists  have  come  down 
B 


26  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

from  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great  and  his  luxuri- 
ous successors.  Art  began  to  have  a  richer  and  more 
various  development,  and  women  were  more  free  to 
follow  their  inclinations  in  its  pursuit.  One  belonging 
to  this  age  was  Helena,  who  is  said  to  have  painted, 
for  one  of  the  Ptolomies,  the  scene  of  a  battle  in  which 
Alexander  vanquished  Darius;  a  picture  thought, 
with  some  probability,  to  have  been  the  original  of  a 
famous  mosaic  found  in  Pompeii. 

Anaxandra,  the  daughter  and  pupil  of  a  Greek 
painter,  appears  to  have  labored  under  the  same  royal 
patronage,  as  well  as  another  female  artist  named 
Kallo,  one  of  whose  pictures,  presented  in  the  Temple 
of  Yenus,  was  celebrated  by  the  praise  of  a  classic 
poetess ;  the  fair  painter  being  declared  as  beautiful 
as  her  own  work.  Among  these  pupils  of  Grecian 
art  we  hear  also  of  Cirene,  the  daughter  of  Kratinos, 
whose  painting  of  Proserpina  was  preserved ;  of  Aris- 
tarite,  the  author  of  a  picture  of  Esculapius ;  of  Ca- 
lypso, known  as  a  painter  de  genre.  Her  portraits  of 
Theodorus,  the  juggler,  and  a  dancer  named  Acisthenes, 
were  celebrated,  and  she  is  said  to  have  executed  one 
that  has  been  transferred  from  the  ruins  of  Pompeii  to 
Naples,  and  is  now  called  "  A  Mother  superintending 
her  Daughter's  Toilet."  The  name  of  Olympias  is 
remembered,  though  we  have  no  mention  of  her  works. 
Beyond  these  few  names,  we  know  nothing  of  the  fe- 
male artists  of  Greece. 

THE  KOMAN  PAINTRESS. 

Among  the  Komans  we  find  but  one  female  painter, 
and  she  was  of  Greek  origin  and  education.  The  life 
of  the  Eoman  matrons  was  not  confined  to  a  narrower 
sphere,  and  the  influence  conceded  to  them  might 


LAYA.  27 

have  been  eminently  favorable  to  their  cultivation  of 
art.  But,  with  the  nation  of  soldiers  who  ruled  the 
world,  the  elegant  arts  were  not  at  home,  as  in  their 
Hellenic  birth-place.  They  flourished  not  so  grandly 
in  the  palmiest  days  of  Eome,  as  in  the  decay  of  the 
Empire.  The  heroic  women  celebrated  in  the  history 
of  the  Kepublic,  and  in  Koman  literature,  had  no 
rivals  in  the  domain  of  sculpture  and  painting.  The 
one  whose  name  has  descended  to  modern  times  is 
Laya.  She  exercised  her  skill  in  Eome  about  a 
hundred  years  before  Christ.  The  little  knowledge 
we  have  of  her  paintings  is  very  interesting,  inasmuch 
as  she  was  the  pioneer  in  a  branch  afterward  cultiva- 
ted by  many  of  her  sex — miniature  painting.  Her 
portraits  of  women  were  much  admired,  and  she  ex- 
celled in  miniatures  on  ivory.  A  large  picture  in 
Naples  is  said  to  be  one  of  her  productions.  She  sur- 
passed all  others  in  the  rapidity  of  her  execution,  and 
her  works  were  so  highly  valued  that  her  name  was 
ranked  with  the  most  renowned  painters  of  the  time, 
such  as  Sopolis,  Dionysius,  etc.  Pliny,  who  bears  this 
testimony,  adds  that  her  life  was  devoted  to  her  art, 
and  that  she  was  never  married.  Some  others  men- 
tion a  Greek  girl,  Lola,  as  contemporary  with  Cleopa- 
tra, who  was  celebrated  for  her  busts  in  ivory.  The 
Komans  caused  a  statue  to  be  erected  to  her  honor. 

INFLUENCE  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 

Painting  was  destined  to  higher  improvements  un- 
der the  mild  sway  of  the  Christian  religion  than  in 
the  severer  school  of  classical  antiquity.  Woman 
gradually  rose  above  the-condition  of  slavery,  and  be- 
gan to  preside  over  the  elements  that  formed  the  po- 
etry of  life.  But  changes  involving  the  lapse  of  cen- 


28  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

turies  were  necessary,  before  Art  could  be  divested  of 
her  Athenian  garment,  and  put  on  the  pure  bridal  at- 
tire suited  to  her  nuptials  with  devotion.  After  the 
destruction  of  the  Eoman  Empire,  there  is  a  long 
interval  during  which  we  hear  df  no  achievement  be- 
yond the  Byzantine  relics,  and  the  mosaics  of  the  con- 
vents and  cemeteries. 

Even  the  beauty  of  early  art,  associated  as  it  was 
with  the  forms  of  a  pagan  mythology,  was  detested 
by  the  votaries  of  a  pure  and  holy  faith.  The  early 
Christians  rejected  adornment,  which  they  regarded  as 
inconsistent  with  their  simple  tenets,  and  as  an  abom- 
ination in  the  sight  of  God.  Thus,  for  seven  hundred 
years  art  was  degraded,  and  only  by  degrees  did  she 
lift  herself  from  the  dust. 

In  the  mean  while  female  influence  grew  apace 
among  the  nations  that  rose  upon  the  ruins  of  Eome. 
Amalasuntha,  the  daughter  of  Theodoric  the  Great, 
was  worthy  of  her  sire  in  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
statesmanship,  while  she  is  said  to  have  surpassed  him 
in  general  cultivation,  and  to  have  rendered  him 
essential  service  in  his  building  enterprises.  Theude- 
linda,  Queen  of  the  Longobards,  adorned  her  palace  at 
Monza  with  paintings  celebrating  the  history  of  her 
people;  and,  from  the  time  of  Charlemagne,  each 
century  boasted  several  women  of  political  and  liter- 
ary celebrity.  There  was  the  famous  nun  Hroswitha, 
who,  in  her  convent  at  Gandersheim,  composed  an 
ode  in  praise  of  Otho,  and  a  religious  drama  after  the 
manner  of  Terence;  there  was  the  Greek  princess 
Anna  Comnena,  the  ornament  of  the  Byzantine  court ; 
there  was  the  first  poetess  of  Germany,  Ava ;  with 
Hildegardis,  Abbess  of  Bingen ;  Heloise,  the  beloved 
of  Abelard ;  the  Abbess  of  Hohenburg,  who  under- 


ILLUMINATIONS.  29 

took  the  bold  enterprise  of  a  cyclopaedia  of  general 
knowledge ;  and  a  host  of  others.* 

ILLUMINATIONS. 

Noble  women  became  patrons  of  art,  particularly 
that  branch  cultivated  with  most  success  in  the  de- 
cline of  the  rest — miniature  painting  upon  parchment. 
From  being  merely  ornamental  this  became  a  necessi- 
ty in  manuscript  books  of  devotion,  and  the  brilliant 
coloring  and  delicate  finish  of  the  illuminations  were 
often  owing  to  the  touch  of  feminine  hands.  The  in- 
mates of  convents  and  monasteries  employed  much 
time  in  painting  and  ornamenting  books,  in  copying 
the  best  works  of  ancient  art,  and  in  painting  on  glass ; 
the  nuns  especially  making  a  business  of  copying  and 
illuminating  manuscripts.  Agnes,  Abbess  of  Qued- 
linberg,  was  celebrated  as  a  miniature  painter  in  the 
twelfth  century,  and  some  of  her  works  have  survived 
the  desolation  of  ages.  ' '  The  cultivators  of  this  charm- 
ing art  were  divided  into  two  classes — miniaturists, 
properly  so  called;  and  miniature  caligraphists.  It 
was  the  province  of  the  first  to  color  the  histories  and 
arabesques,  and  to  lay  on  the  gold  and  silver  orna- 
ments. The  second  wrote  the  book,  and  the  initial 
letters  so  frequently  traced  in  red,  blue,  and  gold :  these 
were  called  '  Pulchri  Scriptores,'  or  fair  writers.  Paint- 
ing of  this  description  was  peculiarly  a  religious  occu- 

*  Later,  Angela  de  Foligno  was  celebrated  as  a  teacher  of  theology. 
Christina  Pisani  wrote  a  work,  "  La  Cite'  des  Dames,"  which  was 
published  in  Paris  in  1498.  It  gives  account  of  the  learned  and 
famous  Novella,  the  daughter  of  a  professor  of  the  law  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Bologna.  She  devoted  herself  to  the  same  studies,  and 
was  distinguished  for  her  scholarship.  She  conducted  her  father's 
cases,  and,  having  as  much  beauty  as  learning/  was  wont  to  appear 
in  court  veiled. 


30  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

pation.  It  was  well  suited  for  the  peaceful  and  se- 
cluded life  of  the  convent  or  the  monastery.  It  re- 
quired none  of  the  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  pas- 
sions of  the  human  heart,  with  the  busy  scenes  of  life, 
so  essential  to  other  and  higher  forms  of  art." 

The  labors  of  nuns  in  ornamental  work  in  the  Mid- 
dle Ages  were  not  confined  to  illuminating  and  minia- 
ture painting ;  but  it  is  not  our  province  to  enumerate 
the  products  of  their  industry,  nor  to  chronicle  the 
benefits  they  conferred  on  the  sick  and  poor.  The 
fairest  princesses  did  not  disdain  to  work  altar-pieces, 
and  to  embroider  garments  for  their  friends  and 
lovers. 

In  the  commencement  of  the  fourteenth  century  a 
female  painter,  named  Laodicia,  lived  in  Pavia,  and 
Yasari  mentions  the  Dominican  nun,  Plautilla  Nelli. 
"  In  1476,  Fra  Domenico  da  Pistoya  and  Fra  Pietro 
da  Pisa,  the  spiritual  directors  of  a  Dominican  convent, 
established  a  printing-press  within  its  walls ;  the  nuns 
served  as  compositors,  and  many  works  of  considerable 
value  issued  from  this  press  between  1476  and  1484, 
when,  Bartolomeo  da  Pistoya  dying,  the  nuns  ceased 
their  labors." 

THE  FIKST  SCULPTRESS. 

Germany  had  the  honor  of  producing  the  first  fe- 
male sculptor  of  whom  any  thing  is  known — Sabina 
von  Steinbach,  the  daughter  of  Erwin  von  Steinbach, 
wrho  in  that  wonderful  work,  the  cathedral  of  Stras- 
burg,  has  reared  so  glorious  a  monument  to  his  mem- 
ory. 

The  task  of  ornamenting  this  noble  building  was  in 
great  part  intrusted  to  the  young  girl,  whose  genius 
had  already  exhibited  itself  in  modeling.  Her  sculp- 


SABINA  VON  STEIKBACH.  31 

tured  groups,  and  especially  those  on  the  portal  of  the  -** 
southern  aisle,  are  of  remarkable  beauty,  and  have 
been  admired  by  visitors  during  the  lapse  of  ages. 
Here  are  allegorical  figures  representing  the  Christian 
Church  and  Judaism ;  the  first  of  lofty  bearing  and 
winning  grace,  with  crowned  heads,  bearing  the  cross, 
in  their  right  hands,  and  in  their  left  the  consecrated 
host.  The  other  figures  stand  with  eyes  downcast 
and  drooping  head ;  in  the  right  hand  a  broken  arrow, 
in  the  left  the  shattered  tablets  of  the  Mosaic  Law. 
Besides  many  other  groups  are  four  bas-reliefs  repre- 
senting the  glorification  of  the  Virgin ;  her  death  and 
burial  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other  her  entrance  into 
heaven  and  triumphant  coronation. 

It  may  well  be  said  that  in  these  works  are  em- 
bodied the  ideal  and  supernatural  elements  that  per- 
vade the  sculpture  of  the  Middle  Ages ;  and  it  seemed 
most  appropriate  that  the  taste  and  skill  of  woman 
should  develop  in  such  elements  the  purity  and  depth 
of  feeling  which  impart  a  charm  to  these  sculptures 
acknowledged  by  every  beholder. 

On  one  of  the  scrolls,  held  by  the  Apostle  John,  the 
following  lines  are  inscribed  in  Latin : 

*'  The  grace  of  God  be  with  thee,  O  Sabina, 
Whose  hands  from  this  hard  stone  have  formed  my  image." 

An  old  painting  at  Strasburg  represents  this  youth- 
ful sculptress  kneeling  at  the  feet  of  the  archbishop,  to 
receive  his  blessing  and  a  wreath  of  laurel,  which  he 
is  placing  on  her  brow.  This  painting  attests  the 
popular  belief  in  a  tradition  that  Sabina,  after  seeing 
her  statues  deposited  in  their  niches,  was  met  by  a 
procession  of  priests  who  came,  with  the  prelate  at 
their  head,  for  the  purpose  of  conferring  this  honor 
upon  her. 


32  WOMEN  AETISTS. 


CHAPTEE  II. 

THE  FIFTEENTH  CENTUKY. 

Commencement  of  the  History  of  modern  Art. — Causes  of  the  Barren- 
ness of  this  Century  in  female  Artists. — The  Decline  of  Chivalry 
unfavorable  to  their  mental  Development. — Passing  away  of  the 
Ideal  and  Supernatural  Element  in  Art. — New  Feeling  for  Na- 
ture.— New  Life  and  Action  in  Painting. — Portrayal  of  Feelings 
of  the  Heart. — Release  of  Painting  from  her  Trammels. — Severer 
Studies  necessary  for  Artists. — Woman  excluded  from  the  Pur- 
suit.— Patronage  sought. — One  female  Artist  representing  each 
prominent  School. — Margaretta  von  Eyck. — Her  Miniatures. — Ex- 
tensive Fame. — Her  Decoration  of  Manuscripts. — Work  in  Aid  of 
her  Brothers. — "The  gifted  Minerva." — Single  Blessedness. — 
Another  Margaretta. — Copies  and  illuminates  MSS.  in  the  Car- 
thusian Convent. — Eight  folio  Volumes  filled. — Caterina  Vigri. — 
Her  Miniature  Paintings. — Founds  a  Convent. — "The  Saint  of 
Bologna." — Miraculous  Painting. — The  warrior  Maiden  Onorata. 
— Decorates  the  Palace  at  Cremona. — Insult  offered  her. — She 
kills  the  Insulter. — Flight  in  male  Attire. — Soldier  Life. — Delivers 
Castelleone. — The  mortal  Wound. 

THE  fifteenth,  century,  with  which  the  history  of 
modern  art  may  be  properly  commenced,  is  barren  in 
female  artists.  This  is,  doubtless,  owing  in  part  to  a 
change  in  the  social  condition  of  woman,  consequent 
on  the  decline  of  chivalry,  that  "poetical  lie,"  as  Ea- 
hel  terms  it.)  During  the  two  centuries  preceding  this 
period,  the  fair  sex  had  been  regarded  with  a  kind  of 
adoration.  Beauty  was  the  minstrel's  theme  and  the 
soldier's  inspiration,  and  the  courts  of  love,  by  giving 
power  to  the  intellectual  among  women,  stimulated 
them  to  the  cultivation  of  their  minds  as  well  as  the 
adornment  of  their  persons.  The  descent  from  their 


NEW   CONCEPTIONS  IN  ART.  33 

poetic  elevation  was  unfavorable  to  mental  develop- 
ment ;  and  it  was  not  till  the  opening  of  the  sixteenth 
century  that  there  appeared  symptoms  of  recovery 
from  the  reaction. 

Moreover,  art  in  the  fifteenth  century  had  assumed 
a  character  unsuited  to  the  peculiar  gifts  of  woman. 
It  had  parted  with  the  ideal  and  supernatural  element 
which  formed  at  once  the  charm  and  the  weakness  of 
the  Middle  Ages,  and  which,  as  in  the  case  of  Sabina 
von  Steinbach,  had  fostered  and  developed  female 
talent.  A  new  feeling  for  nature  was  born ;  a  new 
world  of  life  and  action  was  waiting  to  be  added  to 
the  domain  of  art;  while  severe  study  and  restless 
energy  were  in  requisition  for  more  extended  con- 
quests. More  correct  exhibitions  of  human  individ- 
uality, action,  and  passion  began  to  take  the  place  of 
forms  that  had  before  been  merely  conventional  or 
architectural ;  and  the  portrayal  of  feeling,  in  which 
the  human  heart  could  sympathize,  superseded  the 
calm  religious  creations  of  an  earlier  age.  Painting 
finally  threw  off  the  rigid  trammels  she  had  worn. 

The  difficulties  in  the  way  of  elaborating  these  new 
conceptions,  and  the  studies  of  anatomy  necessary  for 
the  attainment  of  excellence  in  delineating  the  form, 
excluded  women  in  a  great  measure  from  the  pursuit. 
Grervinus  remarks  that  women  are  fond  of  realizing 
new  ideas ;  but  they  are  those,  for  the  most  part,  which 
are  readily  brought  into  use  in  common  life,  and  which 
require  no  persevering  study  to  reduce  them  to  prac- 
tice. Even  the  triumphs  of  literary  talent  in  that  toil- 
some age  owed  much  to  the  patronage  of  the  great. 
We  find  many  ladies  of  high  rank  seeking  the  muses' 
favor  by  the  royal  road  to  eminence. 

Notwithstanding  the  paucity  of  women  artists,  we 
B2  " 


34  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

discover  at  least  one  representing  each  prominent 
school  of  painting — Flemish,  Italian,  and  German. 

MARGARETTA  VON  EYCK. 

First  among  these,  Margaretta  von  Eyck  deserves 
mention.  She  was  the  sister  of  Hubert  and  John  von 
Eyck,  who  were  distinguished  not  only  for  enlarged 
apprehensions  of  art,  but  for  the  discovery  and  intro- 
duction of  oil-painting. 

While  these  men  were,  by  their  works,  preparing 
the  way  for  an  important  revolution  in  the  method  of 
painting,  Margaretta  occupied  herself  chiefly  in  paint- 
ing miniatures.  She  worked  under  the  patronage  of 
the  magnificent  and  liberal  court  of  Burgundy,  and 
her  fame  extended  even  to  the  countries  of  the  roman- 
tic south.  It  is  an  interesting  sight,  this  modest  wom- 
an-work beside  the  more  important  enterprises  of  the 
gifted  brothers,  making  itself  appreciated  so  as  to  fur- 
nish an  example  for  all  time.  Sometimes  the  sister 
worked  with  the  brother  in  the  decoration  of  costly 
manuscripts.  One  of  the  finest  monuments  of  their 
united  skill  was  the  breviary — now  in  the  imperial 
library  at  Paris— of  that  Duke  of  Bedford  who,  in 
1423,  married  the  sister  of  Philip  the  Good.  Marga- 
retta's  miniatures  were  preserved  also  in  manuscript 
romances  of  the  period.  One  of  the  earliest  historians 
of  Flemish  art,  Carl  von  Mander,  calls  her  a  "  gifted 
Minerva,"  and  informs  us  that  she  spurned  the  ac- 
quaintance of  "  Hymen  and  Lucina,"  and  lived  out  her 
days  in  single  blessedness. 

ANOTHER  MARGARETTA. 

As  in  Margaretta  von  Eyck  the  grand  efforts  of 
Flemish  art  found  expression  modified  by  a  feminine 


CATERINA  VIGRI.  35 

nature,  so  had  those  of.  the  school  in  Nuremberg 
through  the  labors  of  another  Margaretta — a  nun  from 
1459  to  1470  in  the  Carthusian  Convent,  where  she 
copied  and  illuminated  religious  works.  Eight  folio 
volumes  were  filled  by  her  indefatigable  hands  with 
Gothic  letters  and  pictures  in  miniature,  presenting  a 
curious  specimen  of  the  blending  of  the  art  of  the 
scribe  with  that  of  the  painter,  so  common  in  the  Mid- 
dle Ages. 

CATERINA  VIGRI. 

A  third  female  artist  of  this  period  belonged  to  Ita- 
ly. Caterina  Yigri,  a  pupil  of  the  Bolognese  school, 
combined  with  a  high  degree  of  talent  a  quiet  gentle- 
ness and  dignified  manner  that  gained  her  general 
esteem.  She  was  born  of  a  noble  family  in  Ferrara 
in  1413,  and  exercised  her  skill  chiefly  in  miniature 
painting,  though  several  large  works  are  recognized 
as  hers.  One  of  St.  Ursula,  infolding  in  her  robe  her 
kneeling  companions,  is  exhibited  among  other  fair 
martyrs  in  the  Pinacothek  of  Bologna,  and,  with  the 
pure,  calm  expression,  peculiar  to  the  productions  of 
a  preceding  age,  combines  a  delicacy,  grace,  correct- 
ness of  drawing,  and  freedom  with  firmness  of  touch, 
not  often  found  at  that  time.  One  of  her  pictures  is 
preserved  in  the  Sala  Palladiana  of  the  Yenetian  Acad- 
emy. Educated  in  the  most  exalted  mysticism,  she 
was  the  founder  of  the  convent  of  "  Corpo  di  Cristo," 
which  is  yet  in  existence,  and  shelters  the  grave  of 
Caterina  as  well  as  many  of  her  works.  She  poured 
into  these  all  her  religious  enthusiasm.  Her  master 
was  Maestro  Yitale.  She  died  in  the  odor  of  sanctity, 
and  was  spoken  of  as  "  the  Saint  of  Bologna."  In 
1712  the  Catholic  Church  inscribed  her  name  in  the 


36  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

second  category  of  saints,  with  the  title  of  "  Beata,"  in 
virtue  of  which  she  is  honored  to  this  day  as  the  pa- 
tron saint  of  the  fine  arts.  Tradition  relates  a  story  of 
one  of  her  paintings  on  wood — an  infant  Jesus — hav- 
ing the  power  to  heal  diseases  in  those  who  touched 
the  lips  of  the  picture. 

THE  WARRIOR  MAIDEN. 

Beside  this  saintly  personage  stands  one  who  joined 
the  prowess  of  the  soldier  to  the  genius  of  the  painter. 
Onorata  Eodiana  was  born  at  Castelleone  in  Cremona, 
in  the  early  part  of  the  fifteenth  century,  and,  while 
yet  young,  obtained  so  high  a  reputation  as  a  painter, 
that  the  Marquis  Gabrino  Fondolo,  the  tyrant  of  Cre- 
mona, appointed  her  to  the  task  of  decorating  his 
palace. 

The  maiden,  in  the  prime  of  her  youth  and  beauty, 
was  engaged  in  this  work  when  an  accidental  occur- 
rence changed  the  whole  course  of  her  life.  A  court- 
ier of  libertine  character,  who  chanced  to  see  her  oc- 
cupied in  painting  the  walls  of  a  room  in  the  palace, 
entered,  and  dared  to  offer  an  insulting  freedom.  The 
young  artist  repulsed  him ;  but,  unable  to  escape  his 
violence  without  a  desperate  struggle,  the  spirited  girl 
at  length  drew  a  dagger  and  stabbed  him  to  the  heart. 
She  then  rushed  from  the  palace,  disguised  herself  in 
man's  clothes,  and  quitted  the  city,  declaring  that  she 
would  rather  die  in  obscure  exile  than  accept  a  luxu- 
rious home  as  the  price  of  dishonor. 

The  Marquis  Gabrino  was  at  first  furious  at  her  es- 
cape, and  commanded  a  hot  pursuit  by  his  soldiers ; 
but  soon  afterward  relenting,  he  proclaimed  her  full 
pardon,  and  summoned  her  to  return  and  complete 
her  labors,  which  no  one  else  could  finish.  Onorata, 


ONORATA  RODIANA.  37 

however,  had,  in.  the  mean  while,  learned  the  warrior's 
business  in  Oldrado  Lampugnano's  band  of  Condotti- 
eri,  and  her  spirit  and  courage  soon  elevated  her  to  a 
post  of  command.  She  loved  the  soldier's  life,  and 
continued  in  it,  painting  the  while,  for  thirty  years. 

When  her  native  town,  Castelleone,  was  besieged 
by  the  Venetians,  she  hastened  with  her  company  to 
its  relief.  Victory  crowned  her  in  the  contest,  but  she 
fell  mortally  wounded.  She  died  in  1472,  perhaps 
the  only  example  the  world's  history  affords  of  a 
woman,  who  wielded  at  the  same  time  the  pencil  ancj 
the  sword. 


38  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 

This  Century  rich  in  great  Painters. — Not  poor  in  female  Artists.— 
Memorable  Period  both  in  Poetry  and  Painting. — Fruits  of  the  La- 
bor of  preceding  Century  now  discernible. — Female  Disciples  in  all 
the  Schools  of  Italian  Art. — Superiority  of  the  Bolognese  School. — 
Properzia  Rossi. — Her  Beauty  and  finished  Education. — Carving 
on  Peach-stones. — Her  Sculptures. — The  famous  Bas-relief  of  Poti- 
phar's  Wife. — Properzia's  unhappy  Love. — Slander  and  Persecu- 
tion.— Her  Works  and  Fame. — Visit  of  the  Pope. — Properzia's 
Death. — Traditional  Story. — Isabella  Mazzoni  a  Sculptor.— A  fe- 
male Fresco  Painter. — Sister  Plautilla. — Her  Works  for  her  Convent 
Church. — Other  Works. — Women  Painters  of  the  Roman  School. — 
Teodora  Danti. — Female  Engravers. — Diana  Ghisi. — Irene  di  Spi- 
limberg. — Her  Education  in  Venice. — Titian's  Portrait  of  her. — 
Tasso's  Sonnet  in  her  Praise. — Poetical  Tributes  on  her  Death.— 
Her  Works  and  Merits. — Vincenza  Armani. — Marietta  Tintoretto. 
— Her  Beauty  and  musical  Accomplishments. — Excursions  in  Boy's 
Attire  with  her  Father. — Her  Portraits. — They  become  "the  Rage." 
— Invitation  from  the  Emperor. — From  Philip  of  Spain. — The  Fa- 
ther's Refusal. — Her  Marriage  and  Death.— Portrait  of  her.— Wom- 
en Artists  of  Northern  Italy. — Barbara  Longhi  and  others. — The 
Nuns  of  Genoa. 

-  THE  sixteenth  century,  rich  beyond  precedent  in 
great  men,  was  not  poor  in  female  artists  whose  works 
are  worthy  of  notice.  Both  in  poetry  and  painting 
the  period  was  memorable  and  glorious.  The  labors 
of  the  preceding  age  had  promoted  civilization  and  edu- 
cation in  moral  and  mental  acquirements,  the  fruits  of 
which  were  discernible  even  in  Germany,  while  in 
Italy  the  harvest  was  most  abundant.  The  period  pro- 
duced Yictoria  Colonna,  Veronica  Gambara,  Gaspara 
Stampa,  and  other  women  of  literary  eminence ;  while 


PROPERZIA  DI  ROSSI.  39 

the  works  in  art  of  Michael  Angelo,  Kaphael,  Leonar- 
do da  Vinci,  Titian,  etc.,  became  monuments  for  the 
admiration  of  succeeding  generations.  Dr.  Guhl  aptly 
remarks,  "  The  fifteenth  century  was  the  time  of  work; 
the  sixteenth  the  season  of  harvest." 

None  of  the  numerous  schools  of  Italian  art  were 
without  female  disciples.  The  Bolognese  rose  above 
all  others,  and  at  this  period  gave  laws  to  art.  Here 
we  find 

PROPERZIA,  THE  SCULPTRESS. 

The  first  woman  who  gained  reputation  as  a  sculp- 
tor in  Italy  was  Properzia  di  Kossi.  She  was  born 
in  Bologna  in  1490,  and  possessed  not  only  remark- 
able beauty  of  person,  with  all  the  graces  a  finished 
education  could  graft  upon  a  refined  nature,  but  va- 
rious feminine  accomplishments,  excelling  particular- 
ly, Yasari  tells  us,  in  her  orderly  disposal  of  house- 
hold matters.  She  sang  and  played  on  several  instru- 
ments "  better  than  any  woman  of  her  day  in  Bolo- 
gna," while  in  many  scientific  studies  she  gained  a  dis- 
tinction "well  calculated,"  says  the  Italian  historian, 
"  to  awaken  the  envy  not  of  women  only,  but  also  of 
men."  This  maiden  of  rich  gifts  was  endowed  with  a 
peculiar  facility  in  realizing  the  creations  of  fancy,  and 
took  at  first  a  strange  way  of  doing  so.  She  under- 
took the  minute  carving  of  peach-stones,  and  succeed- 
ed so  well  as  to  render  credible  what  had  been  record- 
ed of  two  sculptors  of  antiquity.  Mirmecide  is  said 
to  have  carved  a  chariot  drawn  by  four  horses,  with 
the  charioteer,  so  small  that  a  fly  with  his  wings  spread 
covered  the  whole.  Callicrate  sculptured  ants  with 
the  minutest  exactness.  Properzia  carved  on  a  peach- 
stone  the  crucifixion  of  our  Saviour ;  a  work  compris- 


40  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

ing  a  number  of  figures — executioners,  disciples,  wom- 
en, and  soldiers — wonderful  for  the  delicate  execu- 
tion of  the  minutest  figures,  and  the  admirable  distri- 
bution of  all.  A  series  of  her  intaglios  is  in  the  pos- 
session of  Count  Grassi  of  Bologna.  In  a  double-head- 
ed eagle,  in  silver  filagree  (the  Grassi  coat  of  arms),  are 
imbedded  eleven  peach-stones,  and  on  each  is  carved,  on 
one  side,  one  of  the  eleven  apostles,  each  with  an  arti- 
cle of  the  creed  underneath ;  on  the  other,  eleven  holy 
virgins  with  the  name  of  the  saint  on  each,  and  a  mot- 
to explanatory  of  her  special  virtue.  In  the  cabinet 
of  gems  in  the  gallery  of  Florence  is  preserved  a  cher- 
ry-stone on  which  is  carved  a  chorus  of  saints  in  which 
seventy  heads  may  be  counted. 

It  was  not  long  before  Properzia  began  to  think, 
with  those  who  witnessed  her  success,  that  it  was  a 
pity  to  throw  away  so  much  labor  on  a  nut  I  At  that 
time  the  facade  of  San  Petronio,  in  Bologna,  was  be- 
ing ornamented  with  sculpture  and  bas-relief.  The 
young  girl  had  studied  drawing  under  Antonio  Eai- 
mondi,  and  when  the  three  doors  of  the  principal  fa- 
cade were  to  be  decorated  with  marble  figures  she 
made  application  to  the  superintendents  for  a  share  in 
the  works.  She  was  required  to  furnish  a  specimen 
of  her  talent.  The  young  sculptress  executed  a  bust 
from  life,  in  the  finest  marble,  of  Count  Alessandro  de' 
Pepoli ;  this  pleased  the  family  and  the  whole  city,  and 
procured  immediate  orders  from  the  superintendents. 

The  one  of  her  productions  which  has  become  most 
celebrated  is  a  bas-relief,  in  white  marble,  of  Potiphar's 
wife  seeking  to  detain  Joseph  by  holding  his  garment. 
The  perfection  of  the  drawing,  the  grace  of  the  action, 
and  the  emotion  that  breathes  from  the  whole  face  and 
form,  obtained  high  praise  for  this  performance.  Ya- 


PROPERZIA  DI  ROSSI.  41 

sari  calls  it  "  a  lovely  picture,  sculptured  with  woman- 
ly grace,  and  more  than  admirable."  But  envy  took 
occasion  to  make  this  monument  of  Properzia's  genius 
a  reproach  to  her  memory.  It  was  reported  that  she 
was  profoundly  in  love  with  a  young  nobleman,  An- 
ton Galeazzo  Malvasia,  who  cared  little  for  her ;  and 
that  she  depicted  her  own  unhappy  passion  in  the 
beautiful  creation  of  her  chisel.  It  was  probably  true 
that  her  life  was  imbittered  by  this  unreturned  love. 
One  of  her  countrymen  says  the  proud  patrician  dis- 
dained to  own  as  his  wife  one  who  bore  a  less  ancient 
name;  and  that  he  failed  in  his  attempt  to  persuade 
her  to  become  his  on  less  honorable  terms.  Profes- 
sional jealousy  aided  in  the  attempt  to  depress  the 
pining  artist.  Amico  Albertini,  with  several  men  art- 
ists, commenced  a  crusade  against  her,  and  slandered 
her  to  the  superintendents  with  such  effect  that  the 
wardens  refused  to  pay  the  proper  price  for  her  labors 
on  the  fagade.  Even  her  alto-relief  was  not  allowed 
to  have  its  appointed  place.  Properzia  had  no  heart 
to  contend  against  this  unmanly  persecution ;  she  nev- 
er attempted  any  other  work  for  the  building,  and  the 
grief  to  which  she  was  abandoned  gradually  sapped 
the  springs  of  life. 

There  are  two  angels  in  bas-relief,  exquisitely  sculp- 
tured by  her,  in  the  church  of  San  Petronio ;  and  an- 
other work  by  her  hand,  representing  the  Queen  of 
Sheba  in  the  presence  of  Solomon,  is  preserved  in 
what  is  called  "  the  revered  chamber."  Other  works 
of  hers  have  been  pronounced  to  be  in  the  highest 
taste.  She  is  said  to  have  furnished  some  admirable 
plans  in  architecture.  In  copper-plate  engraving  she 
succeeded  to  admiration,  and  many  of  her  pen-and-ink 
etchings  from  Raphael's  works  obtained  the  highest 


42  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

praise.  "With  this  poor  loving  girl,"  Vasari  says, 
"  every  thing  succeeded  save  her  unhappy  passion." 

The  fame  of  her  noble  genius  spread  throughout 
Italy ;  and  Pope  Clement  VIL,  having  come  to  Bo- 
logna to  officiate  at  the  coronation  of  the  Emperor 
Charles  V.,  inquired  for  the  fair  sculptress  of  whom 
he  had  heard  such  marvelous  things.  Alas !  she  had 
died  that  very  week — on  the  14th  of  February,  1530 
— and  her  remains  had  been  buried,  according  to  her 
last  request,  in  the  Hospital  della  Morte.  She  was  la- 
mented by  her  fellow-citizens,  who  held  her  to  have 
been  one  of  the  greatest  miracles  of  nature.  But  what 
availed  posthumous  praises  to  the  victim  of  injustice 
and  calumny  ? 

A  story  has  been  told  of  an  interview  between  Pro- 
perzia  and  the  Pope ;  that,  declining  his  offer  to  settle 
her  in  Kome,  she  knelt  to  take  leave,  when  her  veil 
falling  disclosed  a  face  of  unearthly  beauty,  sad  enough 
to  move  the  pontiff's  sympathy.  But  it  is  more  prob- 
able that  she  died  before  his  coming. 

SISTER  PLAUTILLA  AND  OTHERS. 

Isabella  Mazzoni  was  also  known  at  this  period  as 
a  sculptor.  We  hear,  too,  of  Maria  Calavrese,  who 
painted  in  fresco ;  and  Plautilla  Nelli — Suor  Plautilla, 
as  she  is  usually  called — deserves  more  than  a  passing 
mention.  Lanzi  tells  us  she  was  of  a  noble  Florentine 
family,  and  born  in  1523.  She  had  no  assistance  in 
developing  her  remarkable  talent  but  her  study  of  the 
designs  of  Fra  Bartolomeo,  one  of  the  best  masters  of 
the  Florentine  school.  She  became  a  nun  of  the  Do- 
minican convent  of  St.  Catherine  of  Sienna  in  Flor- 
ence, and  having  acquired  considerable  reputation  by 
her  skill  in  painting,  finished  for  the  church  a  Descent 


SUOR  PLAUTILLA— DIANA  GHISI.  43 

from  the  Cross,  said  to  be  from  a  design  by  Andrea 
del  Sarto ;  and  a  picture  of  her  own  composition,  the 
Adoration  of  the  Magi — a  work  that  won  great  praise. 
In  the  first  may  be  noticed  the  same  purity  of  con- 
tour, the  same  harmony  of  light  and  shade,  grace  of 
drapery,  and  confident  repose  that  characterize  the 
works  of  Andrea.  In  the  choir  of  the  Convent  of 
Santa  Lucia,  at  Pistoja,  was  her  large  picture  of  the 
Madonna  holding  the  child,  surrounded  by  saints ;  and 
in  the  convent  at  Florence  a  large  painting  of  the  Last 
Supper.  "We  do  not  attempt  to  enumerate  the  works 
credited  to  her,  including  her  copies  of  the  best  mas- 
ters, particularly  Fra  Bartolomeo,  whom  it  was  not 
easy  to  imitate,  since  he  was  superior  to  Kaphael  in 
color,  and  rivaled  Vinci  in  chiaro-oscuro.  Some  pic- 
tures in  Berlin,  attributed  to  her,  are  marked  by  his 
purity  and  careful  execution,  with  his  depth  and  earn- 
estness. She  was  also  a  miniature  painter.  She  was 
prioress  of  the  convent,  and  lived  to  the  age  of  sixty- 
five.  One  of  her  successful  pupils  was  Agatha  Tra- 
ballesi. 

There  were  no  noted  women  painters  of  the  Eoman 
school,  but  we  may  mention  Teodora  Danti,  who  paint- 
ed several  pictures  of  interiors  after  the  style  of  Peru- 
gino.  The  heads  of  her  figures  were  remarkable  for 
grace,  and  she  had  much  ease  of  action  and  freshness 
of  coloring,  but  there  was  a  certain  dryness  in  the 
forms  and  poverty  in  the  drapery. 

The  wife  of  the  famous  engraver,  Mare  Antonio 
Eaimondi,  also  engraved  on  copper ;  and  Diana  Ghisi 
copied  in  her  engravings  works  both  of  Eaphael  and 
Giulio  Eomano.  Yasari  says  of  her :  "  She  engraves 
so  admirably,  the  thing  is  a  perfect  miracle.  For  my 
own  part,  who  have  seen  herself — and  a  very  pleasing 


44  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

and  graceful  maiden  she  is — as  well  as  her  works, 
which  are  most  exquisite,  I  have  been  utterly  aston- 
ished thereby." 

IRENE  DI  SPILIMBERG. 

A  bright  example,  and  the  pride  of  the  Venetian 
school  in  her  day,  was  Irene  di  Spilimberg,  born  at 
Udina  in  1540,  of  a  noble  and  illustrious  family,  orig- 
inally of  German  origin.  She  exercised  her  art  at  its 
most  flourishing  period.  She  was  educated  in  Venice, 
surrounded  by  all  the  luxury  of  external  and  intel- 
lectual life,  and  she  had  Titian  for  her  master.  Her 
fame,  however,  rests  rather  on  the  testimony  of  her 
contemporaries  than  on  her  own  works.  Titian,  ever 
alive  to  female  loveliness  and  artistic  merit,  has  im- 
mortalized her  by  a  beautiful  portrait ;  and  Tasso  has 
celebrated  her  charms  in  one  of  his  sonnets.  She  died 
in  the  opening  of  her  blossom  of  fame,  in  the  flush  of 
youth  and  beauty,  having  scarcely  attained  the  age  of 
nineteen.  Her  death  was  deplored  in  poems  and  ora- 
tions, a  collection  of  which  was  published  in  Venice 
twenty  years  after  the  event,  to  set  forth  the  splendid 
promise  which  the  destroyer  had  thus  untimely  nipped. 

Among  her  works  still  extant  are  the  Bacchanals 
in  Monte  Albedo,  and  small  pictures  from  religious 
subjects  said  to  be  in  the  possession  of  the  Maniago 
family.  Lanzi  remarks :  "  The  drawing  is  careless, 
but  the  coloring  is  worthy  of  the  best  age  of  art.  We 
see  the  reflected  rays  of  her  great  master's  glory,  the 
soft  yet  rapid  gradations  of  tint,  the  clear  touches,  the 
repeated  applications  of  color,  which  give  a  veiled 
transparency  to  the  tints ;  the  judicious  grouping,  the 
combined  majesty  and  grace  in  the  figures,  which  con- 
stitute some  of  the  merits  of  Titian."  Irene  is  said  to 


MARIETTA  TINTORETTO.  45 

have  been  a  woman  of  the  highest  mental  culture. 
Eudolphi  includes  her  among  the  few  women  artists 
he  mentions. 

The  sixteenth  century  was  not  only  remarkable  for 
the  production  of  talent,  but  for  its  recognition.  An- 
other artist  belonging  to  the  Venetian  school  was 
Yincenza  Armani,  who  was  accomplished  in  engrav- 
ing and  modeling  in  wax,  and  was  also  celebrated  as 
a  poet  and  musician. 

MARIETTA  TINTORETTO. 

Marietta  Eobusti,  the  daughter  and  pupil  of  the  great 
painter  Tintoretto — him  who  was  called  "the  thunder 
of  art,"  and  excelled  in  the  powerful  and  terrible — 
was  born  in  1560.  She  had  a  lively  disposition  and 
great  enthusiasm ;  she  was  very  beautiful  in  person, 
had  a  fine  voice,  and  was  an  accomplished  performer 
on  the  lute  and  other  instruments.  It  is  no  wonder 
that  she  was  the  object  of  her  father's  pride  and  affec- 
tions. She  accompanied  him  every  where,  dressed  as 
a  boy ;  and  he  developed  her  genius  for  art  less  by 
precept  than  by  the  living  example  of  his  own  labor. 
His  pictures  nourished  and  fertilized  her  imagination, 
and,  step  by  step,  she  followed  him  faithfully.  Wheth- 
er he  labored  at  his  models  or  studied  the  antique 
statues,  or  casts  from  Michael  Angelo,  the  coloring  of 
Titian  or  the  nude  figure,  she  was  by  his  side.  She 
noted  his  first  sketch  in  the  feverish  moment  of  crea- 
tion, and  watched  the  progress  of  its  execution.  His 
marvelous  freedom  in  handling  the  brush,  his  strength 
and  precision  in  drawing  and  richness  of  coloring  be- 
came hers.  She  learned  his  secret  of  giving  propor- 
tion and  unity  to  many  figures,  and  the  difficult  art  of 
foreshortening;  then,  after  copying  his  pictures,  she 


46  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

could  say,  "  I,  too,  am  an  artist."  She  chose  the  kind 
of  painting  suited  to  her  sex.  Historical  pieces  de- 
manded too  much  study  and  application,  and  it  was 
wearying  to  design  nude  figures  in  imitation  of  the 
antique.  Portrait  painting  was  easier,  and  promised 
more  immediate  results. 

Her  first  portrait  was  that  of  Marco  dei  Yescovi. 
It  was  greatly  admired,  particularly  the  beard,  and 
some  ventured  to  say  she  had  equaled  her  father. 
Ere  long  she  became  famous,  and  it  was  all  the  rage 
among  the  Venetian  aristocracy  to  be  painted  by  Mari- 
etta. Her  father  was  in  raptures  at  her  astonishing 
progress  and  success. 

Jacopo  Strada,  antiquarian  to  the  Emperor  Maxi- 
milian, had  his  portrait  taken  by  her,  and  gave  it  as  a 
curiosity  to  his  imperial  master.  This,  and  one  she 
painted  of  herself,  gained  her  a  great  reputation.  The 
emperor  placed  them  in  his  chamber,  and  invited  her 
to  be  the  artist  of  his  court.  The  same  proposition 
was  made  to  her  by  Philip  II.  of  Spain  and  the  Arch- 
duke Ferdinand.  She  was  a  dutiful  daughter  and 
obeyed  the  wishes  of  Tintoretto,  who  refused  to  part 
with  her,  even  that  she  might  grace  a  court.  To  se- 
cure her  against  the  acceptance  of  such  alluring  offers, 
he  bestowed  her  hand  on  Mario  August!,  a  wealthy 
German  jeweler,  on  the  condition  that  she  should  re- 
main under  the  paternal  roof.  She  completed  several 
original  designs  and  painted  many  portraits.  Her  ex- 
quisite taste,  her  soft  and  gentle  touch,  and  her  skill 
in  coloring  were  remarkable,  both  in  works  of  her  own 
invention  and  those  due  to  her  father's  genius. 

Tintoretto  was  not  destined  long  to  rejoice  in  the 
progress  of  his  lovely  daughter.  In  the  flower  of  her 
age,  in  1590,  she  departed  this  life,  leaving  her  husband 


MARIETTA  TINTORETTO.  47 

and  father  mourners  for  the  rest  of  their  days.  She 
was  buried  in  the  church  of  Santa  Maria  dell'  Orto. 
Another  artist  made  a  picture  of  Tintoretto  transfer- 
ring to  the  canvas  the  features  of  his  child,  still  beauti- 
ful in  death.  Several  of  her  works  are  in  Venice. 
One,  at  the  Palais  Koyale,  represents  a  man  in  black, 
sitting,  his  hand  on  an  open  book  lying  on  a  table, 
where  is  also  an  escritoir  with  papers,  a  watch,  and 
crucifix. 

Decampes  has  published  an  engraving  of  Marietta's 
portrait.  The  expression  is  very  soft  and  meek;  a 
braid  of  hair  encircles  the  top  of  her  head,  and  a  rou- 
leau is  put  back  from  the  forehead.  A  handkerchief 
is  crossed  on  the  bosom,  and  around  her  neck  is  a 
string  of  large  beads. 

Some  fair  artists  of  the  schools  of  northern  Italy  de- 
serve mention.  Vasari  speaks  of  Barbara,  daughter 
of  the  painter  Lucas  Longhi,  of  Kavenna,  as  possess- 
ing great  talent.  In  Genoa,  Tommasa  Fiesca  was 
known  as  a  painter  and  engraver,  as  well  as  a  writer 
of  mystical  tracts.  She  and  her  sister  Helen  were 
Dominican  nuns,  and  died  in  1534. 


4:8  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY. 

The  six  wonderful  Sisters. — Sofonisba  Anguisciola. — Her  early 
Sketches. — Painting  of  three  Sisters. — Her  Success  in  Milan. — 
Invitation  to  the  Court  of  Madrid. — Pomp  of  her  Journey  and 
Reception. — The  Diamond. — Paints  the  Royal  Family  and  the 
Flower  of  the  Nobility. — Her  Present  to  Pope  Pius. — His  Letter. — 
Her  Style. — Lucia's  Picture. — Sofonisba  Governess  to  the  Infanta. 
Marriage  to  the  Lord  of  Sicily. — His  Death  at  Palermo. — The 
Widow's  Voyage. — The  gallant  Captain. — Second  Love  and  Mar- 
riage.— Her  Residence  at  Genoa. — Royal  Visitors. — Loss  of  Sight. 
— Vandyck  her  Guest. — Her  Influence  on  Art  in  Genoa. — Her 
Portrait  and  Works. — Sofonisba  Gentilesca. — Her  Miniatures  of 
the  Spanish  Royal  Family. — Caterina  Cantoni. — Ludovica  Pelle- 
grini.— Angela  Criscuolo. — Cecilia  Brusasorci. — Caterina  dei  Paz- 
zi. — Her  Style  shows  the  Infusion  of  a  new  Element  of  religious 

-^-Enthusiasm  into  Art. — Tradition  of  her  painting  with  eyes  closed. 
— Her  Canonization. — Women  in  France  at  this  period. — Isabella 
Quatrepomme. — Women  in  Spain. — A  female  Doctor  of  Theology. 
— Change  wrought  by  Protestantism  in  the  Condition  of  Woman. 
— Its  Influence  on  Art. — An  English  Paintress. — Lavinia  Benic. 
— Catherine  Schwartz  in  Germany. — Eva  von  Iberg  in  Switzer- 
land.— Women  Painters  in  the  Netherlands. — Female  Talent  in 
Antwerp. — Albert  Durer's  Mention  of  Susannah  Gerard. — Cath- 
erine Hamsen. — Anna  Seghers. — Clara  de  Keyzer. — Liewina 
Bennings'  and  Susannah  Hurembout's  Visits  to  England. — The 
Engraver  Barbara. — The  Dutch  Engraver. — Constantia,  the  Flow- 
er Painter. 

WE  come  now  to  the  six  wonderful  sisters  Anguis- 
ciola :  Helena,  Sofonisba,  Minerva,  Europa,  Lucia,  and 
Anna  Maria,  all  gifted  in  music  and  painting.  Yasari 
describes  his  visit  "to  the  house  of  Amilcare  Anguis- 
ciola, the  happy  father  of  an  honorable  and  distin- 
guished family ;  the  very  home  of  painting,  as  well  as 


SOFONISBA  AISTGUISCIQLA.  49 

of  all  other  accomplishments."  In  Ariosto's  Orlando 
Furioso,  we  read : 

"Le  Donne  son  venute  in  eccellenza 
Di  ciascun'  arte,  ov'  hanno  posto  cura." 

The  best  known  of  these  amiable  and  distinguished 
sisters  was  the  second ;  though  Lucia,  who  died  young, 
acquired  celebrity,  and  produced  beautiful  and  valu- 
able works. 

SOFONISBA  ANGUISCIOLA 

was  born  in  Cremona,  some  time  between  1530  and 
1540,  being  descended  from  a  family  of  high  rank. 
At  ten  years  of  age  she  knew  how  to  draw,  and  she 
soon  became  the  best  pupil  of  Bernadino  Campi,  an 
excellent  Cremonese  painter.  One  of  her  early  sketch- 
es, representing  a  boy  with  his  hand  caught  in  a  lob- 
ster's claw,  and  a  little  girl  laughing  at  his  plight,  was 
in  the  possession  of  Yasari,  and  esteemed  by  him 
worthy  of  a  place  in  a  volume  which  he  had  filled 
with  drawings  by  the  most  famous  masters  of  that 
great  age.  Portraits  became  her  favorite  study.  Ya- 
sari commends  a  picture  he  saw  at  her  father's,  repre- 
senting three  of  the  sisters  and  an  ancient  housekeep- 
er, chess-playing,  as  a  work  "  painted  with  so  much 
skill  and  care  that  the  figures  wanted  only  voice  to  be 
alive."  He  also  praises  a  portrait  of  herself,  which 
she  presented  to  Pope  Julius  III. 

Sofonisba  instructed  her  four  younger  sisters  in 
painting.  "While  yet  in  her  girlhood  she  attracted 
the  notice  of  princes.  She  accompanied  her  father  to 
Milan,  at  that  time  subject  to  Spanish  rule.  There 
she  was  received  at  court  with  welcome,  and  painted 
the  portrait  of  the  Duke  of  Sessa,  the  viceroy,  who  re- 
warded her  with  four  pieces  of  brocade,  and  other  rich 

C 


50  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

gifts.  By  1559  her  name  had  become  famous  through- 
out Italy.  The  haughty  monarch  of  Spain,  Philip  II., 
who  aspired  to  the  title  of  patron  of  the  fine  arts,  heard 
the  echo  of  her  renown,  and  sent  instructions  to  the 
Duke  of  Alba,  then  at  Eome,  to  invite  her  to  the 
Court  of  Madrid.  The  invitation  was  accepted.  So- 
fonisba  was  conducted  to  the  Spanish  court  with  re- 
gal pomp,  having  a  train  of  two  patrician  ladies  as 
maids  of  honor,  two  chamberlains,  and  six  livery  serv- 
ants. Philip  and  his  queen  came  out  to  meet  her,  and 
she  was  sumptuously  entertained  in  the  palace.  After 
a  time  given  to  repose,  she  painted  the  king's  portrait, 
which  so  pleased  him  that  he  rewarded  her  with  a 
diamond  worth  fifteen  hundred  crowns,  and  a  pension 
of  two  hundred.  Her  next  sitters  were  the  young 
queen,  Elizabeth  of  Yalois — known  as  Isabel  of  the 
Peace — then  in  the  bloom  of  her  bridal  loveliness ; 
and  the  unhappy  boy  Don  Carlos,  who  was  taken 
dressed  in  a  lynx-skin  and  other  costly  raiment.  One 
after  another  she  painted  the  flower  of  the  Spanish 
nobility.  Meanwhile  she  received  high  honors  and 
profitable  appointments  from  her  royal  patrons. 

Her  extended  fame  induced  Pope  Pius  IY.  to  ask 
her  for  a  portrait  of  the  queen.  She  executed  the 
commission  with  alacrity ;  and,  having  bestowed  her 
best  care  on  a  second  portrait  of  her  majesty,  she  dis- 
patched it  to  Home,  with  a  letter,  to  be  presented  to 
His  Holiness.  "If  it  were  possible,"  she  says,  "to 
represent  to  your  Holiness  the  beauty  of  this  queen's 
soul,  you  could  behold  nothing  more  wonderful." 
The  Pope  responded  with  precious  stones  and  relics 
set  in  gems ;  gifts  worthy  of  the  great  abilities  of  the 
artist.  His  letter  may  interest  the  reader : 


SOFONISBA  ANGUISCIOLA.  51 

"  We  have  received  the  portrait  of  the  most  illus- 
trious Queen  of  Spain,  our  dear  daughter,  whicn  you 
have  sent  us,  and  which  has  been  most  acceptable,  as 
well  on  account  of  the  person  represented,  whom  we 
love  paternally  for  her  piety  and  the  many  pure  quali* 
ties  of  her  mind,  to  say  nothing  of  other  considera- 
tions, as  because  the  work  has  by  your  hand  been 
very  well  and  diligently  accomplished. 

"We  thank  you  for  it,  assuring  you  that  we  shall 
hold  it  among  our  most  valued  possessions,  commend- 
ed through  your  skill,  which,  albeit  very  wonderful,  is 
nevertheless,  as  we  hear,  the  very  least  among  the 
many  gifts  with  which  you  are  endowed. 

"  And  with  this  conclusion,  we  send  you  again  our 
benediction.  May  our  Lord  have  you  in  His  keep- 
ing! 

"Dat.  Romae:  die  15  Ottobris,  1561." 

Sofonisba's  paintings  were  noted  for  boldness  and 
freedom ;  and  in  some  pieces  her  figures  almost  seem- 
ed to  breathe.  Some  are  comic ;  and  this  branch  of 
art,  in  painting  as  in  literature,  demands  boldness  of 
conception,  spontaneity  of  movement,  and  delicacy  of 
touch.  One  of  these  works  represents  a  wrinkled  old 
woman  learning  the  alphabet,  and  a  little  child  mak- 
ing fun  of  her  behind  her  back. 

During  her  residence  in  Spain  Sofonisba  received 
from  Cremona  the  portrait  of  her  mother,  Bianca, 
painted  by  her  sister  Europa.  It  was  highly  praised 
by  Castilian  critics,  and  the  sister  prized  it  as  a  faith- 
ful likeness  of  a  beloved  one  whom  she  might  never 
again  behold.  About  this  time  Lucia  may  have  sent 
her  admirable  portrait  of  Pietro  Maria,  a  Cremonese 
physician — a  grave  and  elderly  personage  in  a  furred 


52  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

robe — which  now  adorns  the  queen's  gallery  in  Ma- 
drid, the  sole  specimen  of  the  powers  of  the  gifted 
sisters. 

Sofonisba  had  for  some  time  been  lady-in-waiting  to 
the  Queen  of  Spain :  she  was  now  appointed  by  Philip, 
with  other  ladies,  to  undertake  the  education  of  the 
Infanta  Isabella  Clara  Eugenia.  This  proves  her  to 
have  been  in  Spain  after  1566,  the  year  in  which  that 
princess  was  born.  Her  royal  patrons  wished  her  to 
marry  a  Spanish  nobleman  and  take  tip  her  perma- 
nent abode  near  their  court ;  but  her  hand  was  already 
pledged  to  the  feudal  lord  of  Sicily,  Don  Fabrizio  de 
Mon9ada,  and  he  bore  her  away  to  his  island  home. 
The  king  and  queen  gave  her  a  dowry  of  twelve 
thousand  crowns  and  a  pension  of  one  thousand; 
which  she  had  power  to  bequeath  to  her  son ;  besides 
rich  presents  in  tapestry  and  jewels,  and  a  dress  load- 
ed with  pearls. 

The  newly-wedded  pair  went  to  Palermo,  where 
after  a  few  years  the  husband  died.  Sofonisba  was 
immediately  invited  back  to  the  court  of  Madrid,  but 
expressed  a  desire  to  see  Cremona  and  her  kindred 
before  her  return  to  Spain.  She  embarked  on  board 
a  Genoese  galley,  commanded  by  a  patrician  called 
Orazio  Lomellini.  He  entertained  the  fair  widow  with 
gallant  courtesy  during  the  voyage,  and  she  appears 
to  have  been  not  inconsolable  for  the  loss  of  her  hus- 
band. She  loved  the  Genoese,  it  is  said,  out  of  sheer 
gratitude ;  although  her  biographer,  Soprani,  does  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  she  made  him  an  offer  of  her  hand, 
which  he- — "quel  generoso  signor" — very  promptly 
accepted.  The  Lomellini  family  still  preserve  her 
portrait,  painted  by  herself  after  the  manner  of  Ka- 
phael. 


SOFONISBA  ANGUISCIOLA.  53 

We  now  find  her  living  at  Genoa,  where  she  pur- 
sued her  art  with  indefatigable  zeal.  Her  house  be- 
came the  resort  of  all  the  polished  and  intellectual 
society  of  the  republic.  Nor  was  she  forgotten  by  her 
royal  friends  of  the  house  of  Austria.  On  hearing  of 
her  second  nuptials,  their  Catholic  majesties  added 
four  hundred  crowns  to  her  pension.  The  Empress 
of  Germany  paid  her  a  visit  on  her  way  to  Spain,  and 
accepted  a  little  picture,  one  of  the  most  finished  and 
beautiful  of  Sofonisba's  works.  She  also  received  the 
honor  of  a  visit  from  her  former  charge,  the  Infanta, 
now, married  or  about  to  be  married  to  the  Archduke 
Albert,  and  joint  sovereign  with  him  over  Flanders. 
This  princess  spent  several  hours  talking  with  her 
friend  of  old  times  and  family  affairs ;  and  sat  for  her 
portrait,  for  which,  when  it  was  finished,  she  gave  So- 
fonisba  a  gold  chain  enriched  with  jewels.  This  pret- 
ty memorial  of  friendship  was  greatly  prized  by  the 
artist.  Thus  caressed  by  royalty,  and  courted  in  Gen- 
oese society,  she  lived  to  an  extreme  old  age.  A  me- 
dallion was  struck  at  Bologna  in  honor  of  her ;  the 
most  distinguished  artists  listened  reverentially  to  her 
opinions,  and  poets  sang  the  praises  of 

"La  bella  e  saggia  dipintrice, 
La  nobil  Sofonisba  da  Cremona." 

In  the  latter  years  of  her  life  Sofonisba  was  de- 
prived of  her  sight ;  but  retained  her  intellectual  fac- 
ulties, her  love  of  art,  and  her  relish  for  the  society  of 
its  professors.  The  conferences  she  held  in  her  own 
palace  were  attended  to  the  last  by  distinguished  paint- 
ers from  every  quarter.  Yandyck  was  frequently  her 
guest,  and  was  accustomed  to  say  he  had  received' 
more  enlightenment  from  this  blind  old  woman  than 
from  all  his  studies  of  the  greatest  masters.  This  was 


54  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

no  mean  praise  from  the  favorite  scholar  of  Eubens ; 
and  who  shall  say  it  was  not  deserved  ?  By  precept 
and  by  example  she  helped  to  raise  art  in  Genoa  from 
the  decay  into  which  it  had  fallen  in  the  middle  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  Her  pictures  have  something  of 
the  grace  and  cheerfulness  of  Raphael,  in  whose  style 
her  first  master  painted,  and  something  of  the  relief 
of  the  followers  of  Correggio.  "  More  than  any  other 
woman  of  her  time,"  writes  Yasari,  "  with  more  study 
and  greater  grace,  she  has  labored  on  every  thing  con- 
nected with  drawing ;  not  only  has  she  drawn,  color- 
ed, and  painted  from  life,  and  made  excellent  copies, 
but  she  has  also  drawn  many  beautiful  original  pic- 
tures." 

One  of  Sofonisba's  works,  seen  at  Cremona  in  1824, 
was  a  beautiful  picture  of  the  Virgin  giving  suck  to 
the  Divine  infant.  In  portraits  her  skill  is  said  to 
have  been  little  inferior  to  Titian.  Her  charming  por- 
trait of  herself  is  no  mean  gem  among  the  treasures  of 
the  galleries  and  libraries  at  Althorp.  She  has  drawn 
herself  in  what  the  Germans  term  a  "knee-piece;" 
rather  under  life-size.  The  small  and  finely -formed 
head  is  well  set  on  a  graceful  neck ;  the  dark  hair  is 
smoothly  and  simply  dressed  ;  the  features  are  Italian 
and  regular;  the  complexion  is  a  clear  olive;  and  the 
eyes  are  large,  black,  and  liquid.  The  dark,  close-fit- 
ting dress  is  relieved  by  white  frills  at  the  throat  and 
wrists,  and  two  white  tassels  hanging  over  the  breast. 
Her  delicate  and  exquisitely  painted  hands  are  seen 
over  the  chords  of  a  spinet.  On  the  right,  in  deep 
shadow,  stands  an  old  woman,  wearing  a  kerchief 
twisted  turbanwise  around  her  head,  and  resembling 
a  St.  Elizabeth  or  a  St.  Anne  in  a  religious  composi- 
tion of  the  Caracci.  The  whole  is  painted  in  the  clear, 


PAZZI.  55 

firm  manner  of  the  best  pencils  of  Florence.  Sofonis- 
ba  died  in  1620. 

Palomino  mentions  Sofonisba  Gentilesca  among  the 
fr  reign  painters  of  the  reign  of  Philip  II. :  "a  lady  il- 
lustrious in  the  art,"  who  came  from  France  to  Spain 
in  the  train  of  Isabel  of  the  Peace.  She  painted  minia- 
tures with  great  skill,  and  had  for  sitters  their  majes- 
ties, the  Infant  Don  Carlos,  and  many  ladies  of  the 
court.  She  died  at  Madrid  in  1587. 

Another  noble  lady,  Caterina  Cantoni,  known  as  an 
excellent  engraver,  was  invited  into  Spain  with  Sofo- 
nisba, to  pursue  there  the  calling  she  seems  to  have 
practiced  with  success  in  Italy.  Ludovica  Pellegrini 
was  complimented  with  the  title  of  the  "  second  Mi- 
nerva" for  her  excellence  in  this  branch  of  art.  She 
also  devoted  herself  to  needle- work,  and  embroidered 
sacred  furniture,  and  the  great  pallium  (vestment),  ex- 
hibited to  strangers  as  a  curious  specimen  of  art  and 
learning.  Boschini  mentions  "the  unrivaled  Doro- 
thea Aromatari"  as  having  produced  with  her  needle 
those  beauties  the  finest  artists  executed  with  the  pen- 
cil. Other  women  were  celebrated  embroiderers.  Na- 
ples boasted  of  one  who  surpassed  her  contemporaries 
both  in  painting  and  music — Maria  Angela  Criscuolo. 
Cecilia  Brusasorci,  the  daughter  of  the  great  fresco 
painter,  became  celebrated  for  her  portraits  toward  the 
close  of  this  century. 

Passing  over  a  number  of  minor  names,  we  may 
close  the  review  of  this  period  by  a  notice  of  Caterina 
de7  Pazzi.  She  was  born  in  1566,  and  retired  early  to 
a  convent,  where  she  assumed  the  name  of  Maria  Mad- 
dalena.  The  energy  with  which  she  cultivated  art,  and 
the  peculiar  character  of  her  works  and  those  of  others 
produced  at  this  time,  show  the  infusion  of  a  new  ele- 


56  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

merit  of  religious  enthusiasm  into  art.  Tradition  pre- 
serves the  story  of  this  nun  painting  sacred  pictures 
with  her  eyes  closed.  In  the  cloisters  of  the  Carmel- 
ites at  Parma,  and  in  the  church  of  Santa  Maria  in 
Cosmedin,  at  Kome,  works  of  hers  may  be  found.  Dy- 
ing in  1607,  she  was  canonized  by  Clement  IX.  in 
1669 ;  and  at  this  day  a  picture  in  one  of  the  richest 
churches  of  Florence  bears  the  name  of  the  saintly 
artist,  whose  body  reposes  in  a  magnificent  chapel 
under  the  same  roof. 

No  other  nation,  during  the  sixteenth  century,  can 
compete  with  Italy  in  female  artists.  In  France  wom- 
en enjoyed  great  influence  in  public  affairs,  and  sev- 
eral ladies  of  the  highest  rank  were  distinguished  for 
their  literary  productions  and  accomplishments.  Isa- 
bella Quatrepomme  is  mentioned  by  Papillon  as  an 
excellent  engraver  on  wood.  She  was  born  in  Eouen, 
and  flourished  about  1521.  A  frontispiece  in  an  old 
calendar,  executed  in  neat  style,  representing  a  figure 
of  Janus,  is  supposed  to  be  by  her,  as  it  is  marked  with 
an  apple  on  which  there  is  a  figure  4. 

In  Spain  the  flowers  of  art  began  to  bloom  at  a  later 
period;  although  in  the  liberal  studies  women  were 
not  behindhand.  Isabella  Losa,  of  Cordova,  was  ap- 
pointed a  doctor  of  theology,  and  there  were  ladies  in 
Valencia,  who,  familiar  with  the  works  of  Italian  mas- 
ters of  art,  made  it  their  study  to  imitate  them. 

In  the  north  the  advance  of  Protestantism  wrought 
a  change  in  the  condition  of  women,  which  had  its  in- 
fluence on  art.  Domestic  employments,  and  the  do- 
mestic virtues,  became  more  universally  the  delight 
and  study  of  the  fair  sex.  "While  the  light  of  religious 
truth  was  penetrating  their  homes  with  its  softened 
radiance,  the  growth  of  a  deep  moral  feeling  was  pre- 


FLEMISH   WOMEN   ARTISTS.  57 

paring  the  way  for  farther  triumphs  in  the  imitative 
arts.  England,  where  flourished  many  poetesses,  had 
one  female  painter — LewinaTirlinks — during  the  reign 
of  Elizabeth.  Germany  boasted  of  Catherine  Schwartz, 
the  wife,  probably,  of  that  Christopher  Schwartz  whom 
his  contemporaries  called  the  German  Eaphael ;  while 
in  Switzerland  Eva  von  Iberg  transferred  to  canvas 
the  beauties  of  her  country's  scenery. 

In  the  Netherlands,  on  the  other  hand,  the  number 
of  women  painters  at  this  period  was  large,  and  many 
were  the  diligent  successors  of  Margaretta  von  Eyck 
in  her  native  place.  Her  brothers,  at  the  head  of  the  old 
Flemish  school,  showed  the  combination  of  traditional 
types  and  ancient  habits  with  the  results  of  the  strug- 
gles of  the  human  mind  for  emancipation  in  this  cen- 
tury. Antwerp  seems  to  have  been  a  rich  soil  for  the 
production  of  female  talent.  Here,  in  1521,  Albrecht 
Durer  became  acquainted  with  the  fair  painter  so  hon- 
orably mentioned  in  his  journal.  "Master  Gerard,  il- 
luminist,"  he  says,  "has  a  daughter  eighteen  years  of 
age,  named  Susannah,  who  illuminated  a  little  book 
which  I  purchased  for  a  few  guilders.  It  is  wonder- 
ful that  a  woman  can  do  so  much !"  Among  noted 
miniature  painters  we  hear  of  Catherine  Hamsen,  who 
went  into  Spain,  and  entered  the  service  of  the  Queen 
of  Hungary  on  a  good  salary ;  also  of  Anna  Seghers ; 
Anna  Smyters,  and  Margaret  de  Heere.  Clara  de 
'Keyzer,  or  Clara  Skeysers,  of  Ghent,  died  unmarried 
at  the  age  of  eighty.  She  enjoyed  a  celebrity  that  ex- 
tended to  Germany,  France,  Italy,  and  Spain,  all  which 
countries  were  visited  by  her. 

Susannah  Hurembout  and  Liewina  Bennings,  or  Be- 
nic,  should  not  be  passed  over.  The  latter,  the  daugh- 
ter of  "Maestro  Simon,"  was  born  in  Bruges;  was 

C2 


58  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

invited  to  London  by  Henry  VIII.,  and  was  treated 
with  great  favor  by  both  queens  Mary  and  Elizabeth. 
King  Henry  gave  her  in  marriage  to  an  English  noble- 
man. It  has  been  thought  she  is  the  same  person  with 
Lewina  Tirlinks.  Susannah  also  received  an  invita- 
tion from  "bluff  King  Harry"  to  visit  his  court,  and 
lived  in  England,  where  she  was  treated  with  great 
distinction,  for  the  remainder  of  her  life.  Both  these 
women  were  miniature  painters.  Barbara  Yan  den 
Broeck,  the  daughter  of  Crispin,  was  born  in  Antwerp, 
1560,  and  engraved  from  her  father's  designs.  She 
handled  the  graver  with  consummate  skill.  In  some 
pieces,  she  imitated  successfully  the  style  of  Martin 
Rota. 

In  Holland,  Magdalen  de  Passe  was  known  as  an 
engraver  in  copper,  and  Constantia  von  Utrecht  as  a 
flower-painter;  one  who  first  acquired  distinction  in 
this  delicate  and  feminine  branch  of  study,  and  direct- 
ed to  it  the  attention  of  her  country-women.  In  later 
times  tne  city  where  she  lived  and  wrought  became 
the  capital  of  the  world  in  this  species  of  painting. 


THE  NATUKALISTI.  59 


CHAPTER  Y. 

THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 

New  Ground  presented  for  Progress.— Greater  Diversity  of  Style. — 
Naturalism. — The  Caracci  instrumental  in  giving  to  Painting  the 
Impetus  of  Reform. — Their  Academy. — One  opened  by  a  Milanese 
Lady. — The  learned  Poetess  and  her  hundredth  Birthday. — Female 
Painters  and  Engravers. — Lavinia  Fontana. — The  hasty  Judg- 
ment.— Lavinia  a  Pupil  of  Caracci. — Character  of  her  Pictures. — 
Honors  paid  to  her.— Courted  by  Royalty. — Her  Beauty  and  Suit- 
ors.— A  romantic  Lover. — Lavinia's  Paintings. — Close  of  the  Pe- 
riod of  the  Christian  Ideal  in  Art. — Lavinia's  CJief-d1  (Euvre. — Her 
Children. — Professional  Honoi'S. — Her  Death. — Female  Disciples  of 
the  Caracci  School. — Pupils  of  Domenichino,  Lanfranco,  and  Guido 
Reni. — The  churlish  Guercino  a  Despiser  of  Women. — The  Cardi- 
nal's Niece  and  Heiress. — Her  great  Paintings. — Founds  a  Cloister. 
— Artemisia  Gentileschi,  a  Pupil  of  Guido. — Her  Portraits. — Visit 
to  England. — Favor  with  Charles  I.— Luxurious  Abode  in  Naples. — 
Her  Correspondence. — Judgment  of  her  Pictures. — Elisabetta  Si- 
rani. — Her  artistic  Character. — Her  household  Life. — Industry  and 
Modesty. — Her  Virtues  and  Graces. — Envious  Artists.— Defeat  of 
Calumny. — Her  mysterious  Fate. — Conjectures  respecting  it. — 
Funeral  Obsequies. — Her  principal  Works. — Her  Influence  on  fe- 
male Artists. — Her  Pupils. — Other  Women  Artists  of  Bologna. 

IN  the  seventeenth  century  the  elements  of  disturb- 
ance had  in  part  subsided,  and  new  ground  was  pre- 
sented for  the  progress  of  human  intellect.  A  certain 
uniformity  in  art,  which  was  the  consequence  of  a  close 
academical  imitation  of  the  old  masters,  gave  place  to 
a  greater  diversity  of  style,  and,  in  some  instances,  to 
a  vigorous  and  somewhat  rude  naturalism.  The  Natu- 
ralist! were  so  called  on  account  of  their  predilection 
for  the  direct  imitation  of  the  common  forms  and  as- 
pects of  nature.  Passion  was  their  inspiration,  and 


60  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

their  imitation  was  too  often  carried  to  excess,  pre- 
senting what  might  be  termed  the  poetry  of  the  re- 
pulsive. 

A  new  spirit  of  inquiry  and  a  feeling  of  self-reli- 
ance had  entered  the  popular  mind  that  did  not  fail 
to  influence  the  progress  both  of  literature  and  art. 
The  masters  who  were  most  strikingly  instrumental 
in  giving  to  painting  the  impetus  of  reform  were  Lu- 
dovico,  Augustin,  and  Annibal  Caracci.  Amid  many 
difficulties  they  opened  an  academy  in  their  native 
city,  Bologna,  where  art  was  taught  on  the  principles 
then  esteemed  essential.  In  its  theoretical  and  prac- 
tical departments  a  goodly  number  of  students  were 
there  permitted  to  profit  by  the  works  of  the  early 
masters.  The  good  example  was  soon  followed,  and 
we  hear  of  a  Milanese  lady  opening  her  house  for  an 
academy. 

Arcangela  Palladini  excelled  in  painting,  poetry, 
music,  and  embroidery.  A  piece  of  her  needle-work 
hung  in  the  ducal  gallery  at  Pisa,  where  none  but 
great  works  were  preserved.  Beatrice  Pappafava,  a 
paintress,  was  also  a  learned  lady,  and  is  said  to  have 
celebrated  her  own  hundredth  birthday  in  an  original 
sonnet  of  much  merit.  Caterina  Rusca  obtained  some 
repute  as  an  engraver  on  copper ;  and  Augusta  Tara- 
botti,  who  studied  painting  under  the  direction  of 
Clara  Yarotari,  was  also  a  poet  and  the  author  of  "  An 
Apology  for  the  Female  Sex,"  which  was  received 
with  considerable  attention.  Fede  Galizia,  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  celebrated  miniaturist,  lived  in' Milan.  In  fig- 
ures and  landscapes  she  evinced  taste,  accuracy,  and 
finish.  She  was  devoted  to  the  ideal,  and  this  tend- 
ency appeared  in  her  design  and  coloring. 


LAVINIA  FONTANA.  61 

LAVINIA  FONTANA. 

One  among  the  female  artists  who  adopted  the  style 
of  the  Caracci  and  helped  to  introduce  a  change  in 
art  was  Lavinia  Fontana,  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
women  of  the  century.  She  was  the  daughter  of  that 
Prospero  Fontana  who  gave  lessons  in  painting  to  Lu- 
dovico  Caracci,  and  was  wont  much  to  disparage  him. 
He  once  remarked  that  his  scholar  would  do  better  at 
mixing  colors  than  as  a  painter !  But  Caracci  had  his 
revenge  in  after  years,  when  Fontana  was  heard  to 
lament  that  he  was  too  old  to  become  the  pupil  of  the 
great  artist  who  had.  once  been  his  own  despised  schol- 
ar !  The  instruction  he  could  not  receive  was  the  priv- 
ilege of  his  daughter  Lavinia,  who  was  born  in  Bolo- 
gna in  1552.  She  adopted  her  father's  manner,  and 
gained  great  celebrity  in  portrait  painting;  but,  in 
later  years,  became  the  disciple  of  Caracci,  after  which 
she  succeeded  in  giving  her  pictures  so  much  softness, 
sweetness,  and  tenderness,  that  some  of  them  have 
even  been  compared  to  those  of  Guido  Eeni.  To  deli- 
cacy of  touch  she  united  rare  skill  in  taking  likenesses. 
Her  talents  met  with  appreciation  and  honors  not  often 
accorded  to  female  merit.  The  first  ladies  in  Eome 
sought  to  become  her  sitters,  and  the  greatest  cardinals 
deemed  themselves  fortunate  in  having  their  portraits 
executed  by  her  skillful  hand.  Her  portraits  were  so 
highly  esteemed  that  they  commanded  enormous  prices, 
and  were  displayed  with  pride  in  the  galleries  of  the 
nobility  and  the  most  cultivated  persons  in  the  land. 
Her  services  were  engaged  by  Pope  Gregory  XIII. 
as  his  painter  in  ordinary ;  and  she  worked  for  the 
Buoncompagni  family.  Other  crowned  heads  sought 
her  society,  and  the  most  wondrous  grace  of  all  was 


62  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

that  these  honors  did  not  create  in  her  vanity  or  self- 
conceit.  To  her  accomplishments  she  added  such  per- 
sonal attractions  that  her  hand  was  sought  by  many 
distinguished  and  titled  suitors ;  but  she  preferred  to 
them  all  a  young  man  unknown  to  fame,  Giovanni 
Paolo  Zappi,  of  Imola.  Some  authorities  speak  of  him 
as  a  wealthy  nobleman.  He  had  painted  in  her  father's 
studio  for  love  of  the  charming  daughter,  and  had  been 
accustomed  to  paint  the  clothes  in  her  portraits  so  well 
that  she  had  made  concerning  him  the  not  very  flatter- 
ing observation,  that  "  he  was  worth  more  as  a  tailor 
than  a  painter."  He  was  rewarded  by  marrying  her, 
the  condition  being  exacted  that  Lavinia  should  re- 
main free  to  follow  her  professional  career. 

Besides  portraits,  she  produced  several  compositions 
on  sacred  subjects;  some  church  pictures  now  in  Bo- 
logna, and  some  on  worldly  themes,  as  the  picture  of 
"Venus  in  the  Berlin  Museum.  In  her  later  works, 
after  her  lessons  with  Caracci,  she  acquired  a  softness 
and  warmth  of  coloring  that  remind  one  of  the  mas- 
ters of  the  Yenetian  school.  One  of  her  productions 
— Saint  Francis  de  Paula  raising  a  dead  person — pre- 
served in  the  Pinacothek  of  Bologna — has  been  noticed 
for  this.  Of  her  pictures  besides  are  the  Crucifixion, 
the  Miracle  of  the  Loaves,  and  the  Annunciation. 
These  were  for  churches  of  Bologna. 

Lavinia  lived  at  the  close  of  what  was  peculiarly 
the  period  of  Christian  art,  and  it  seems  just  to  place 
her  among  the  artists  who  labored  while  the  Christian 
ideal,  in  all  its  splendor,  was  yet  above  the  horizon. 
On  this  period  Raphael  and  Michael  Angelo  had  set 
their  seal,  and  the  Christian  ideal  was  exhausted  in  the 
Transfiguration,  and  the  frescoes  of  the  Sistine  chapel; 
they  could  not  be  surpassed.  One  of  Lavinia's  works 


LAVINIA  FONTANA.  63 

—the  Nativity  of  the  Virgin,  at  nighttime — is  still 
exhibited  in  her  native  city.  The  infant  Mary  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  cloud  of  angels,  and  a  saint  is  pointing 
to  two  children  below.  A  figure  in  magnificent  bish- 
op's robes,  on  the  other  side,  is  in  the  act  of  sprinkling 
holy  water  on  two  beautiful  kneeling  girls.  This 
picture,  Bolognini  asserts,  alone  justifies  the  artist's 
fame.  In  the  Escurial  at  Madrid  is  a  piece  by  her, 
representing  a  Madonna  uplifting  a  veil  to  view  her 
sleeping  child,  who  reposes  on  richly-embroidered 
cushions ;  St.  Joseph  and  St.  John  stand  near.  "  A 
picture,"  says  Mazzolari,  "so  vivid,  so  gay  and  grace- 
ful, and  of  such  glorious  coloring,  so  full  of  beauty, 
that  one  is  never  weary  of  admiring  it."  A  picture 
which  has  especially  contributed  to  her  artistic  fame 
represents  the  Queen  of  Sheba  in  the  presence  of  Sol- 
omon ;  but  it  has  also  an  allegorical  reference  to  the 
Duke  and  Duchess  of  Mantua,  and  various  personages 
of  their  court.  Lanzi  considers  this  production  wor- 
thy of  the  Venetian  school.  Another  represents  a 
royal  infant,  playing  on  a  bed,  wrapped  in  blankets, 
and  adorned  with  a  splendid  necklace.  A  "  Judith, 
seen  by  torch-light,"  is  in  the  possession  of  the  Delia 
Casa  family.  A  Virgin  and  Child,  which  she  painted 
for  Cardinal  Ascoli,  and  sent  to  Eome,  has  been  thought 
her  best  production,  and  brought  her  so  much  fame, 
that,  a  large  painting  being  required  for  a  church,  the 
commission  was  intrusted  to  Lavinia,  in  preference  to 
many  first-class  artists,  who  sought  it.  She  painted  a 
stoning  of  Stephen,  with  a  number  of  figures,  and  a 
halo  above  representing  heaven  opening.  The  figures 
were  larger  than  life,  and  the  work  was  not  as  success- 
ful as  Lavinia  had  hoped.  But  after  she  confined  her- 
self to  portrait  painting,  she  had  no  reason  to  be  dis- 


64:  WOMEN  ARTISTS.    * 

satisfied  with  her  success.  Her  chef  d'ceuvre  is  said  to 
be  her  own  portrait,  taken  when  she  was  young  and 
surpassingly  beautiful.  It  is  now  in  the  possession  of 
Count  Zappi,  at  Imola,  and  has  been  engraved  by  Kos- 
sini,  for  his  history  of  Italian  painting.  The  portrait 
is  painted  in  an  oval ;  in  the  background,  ranged  on  a 
shelf,  are  models  in  clay  of  busts,  heads,  trunks,  hands, 
and  feet.  The  artist  is  seated  at  a  table,  on  which  are 
two  casts  of  Greek  statues ;  she  is  in  the  act  of  com- 
mencing a  drawing,  and  is  -dressed  with  elegant  sim- 
plicity, her  mantle  flowing  in  clear  and  ample  folds. 
Under  the  ruff  encircling  her  neck  hangs  a  pearl  neck- 
lace, to  which  is  attached  a  golden  crucifix.  She  wears 
a  Mary  Stuart  headdress,  and  the  head  is  colored  with 
wonderful  delicacy  •  and  transparency.  The  work 
unites  correctness  of  drawing  with  incomparable  grace. 
England  possesses  three  paintings  by  Lavinia  Fontana. 
This  famous  artist  had  three  children,  and  was  un- 
happy in  them.  Her  only  daughter  lost  the  sight  of 
one  eye,  by  running  a  pin  into  it  j  and  one  of  her  boys 
was  half-witted,  and  served  to  amuse  loungers  in  the 
Pope's  antechamber.  Malvasia  remarks,  "  The  story 
ran  that  he  inherited  his  simplicity  from  his  father; 
assuredly  it  came  not  from  his  mother,  who  was  as 
full  of  talent  and  sagacity  as  she  was  good  and  virtu- 


ous." 


Lavinia  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Eoman  Acad- 
emy. Her  merits  were  celebrated  by  contemporaries; 
Marini,  among  other  poets,  wrote  in  her  praise ;  and 
in  such  estimation  was  she  held,  that,  when  she  passed 
near  the  seat  of  the  Lord  of  Sora  and  Yignola,  the 
proud  patrician  came  out  to  meet  her  at  the  head  of 
his  retainers,  according  to  the  fashion  then  in  vogue 
for  the  reception  of  royal  personages. 


FAIR  STUDENTS  OF  GREAT  MASTERS.  65 

Among  the  Lettere  Pittoriche  is  a  letter  dated  1609, 
signed  Lavinia  Fontana  Zappi.  This  proves  her  to 
have  been  living  then.  One  authority  states  that  she 
died  at  Eome,  in  1614,  aged  sixty-two. 

While  Lavinia  Fontana  availed  herself  of  the  sys- 
tem of  Caracci,  another,  who  enjoyed  in  early  life  the 
advantage  of  being  Ludovico's  pupil,  emulated  his  ex- 
cellences so  successfully  that  she  produced  a  fine  pic- 
ture, full  of  figures,  from  one  of  his  compositions,  in 
'1614,  for  the  church  of  the  Annunziata,  in  Bologna. 
This  was  Antonia  Pinelli.  For  skill  in  drawing  and 
purity  of  tone  she  was  held  in  high  estimation. 

Numerous  were  the  young  women  who  learned 
painting  in  the  atelier  of  the  Caracci;  while  other 
masters  had  their  share  of  fair  students.  Domenichino 
is  said  to  have  been  the  teacher  of  Flavia  Durand, 
Teresa  del  Po,  and  Artemisia  Gentileschi ;  Lanfranco 
brought  to  light  the  talent  of  Caterina  Ginnassi ;  Guido 
Keni  gave  instruction  to  Madalena  Natali,  and  formed 
the  genius  of  Elisabetta  Sirani,  the  pride  of  the  Bo- 
lognese  school.  Albano,  however,  was  an  exception, 
and,  with  the  churlish  Guercino,  who  despised  every 
thing  like  female  talent,  had  no  pupils  of  the  fair  sex. 
A  sister  of  one  of  his  pupils,  nevertheless — Flaminia 
Triva,  of  Eeggio — became  a  painter  much  esteemed 
by  the  connoisseurs  of  her  time. 

Of  these  artists,  only  the  three  most  distinguished 
need  be  noticed  here.  Caterina  Ginnassi,  of  noble 
family  and  the  niece  of  a  cardinal,  was  born  in  Eome, 
1590.  She  was  well  instructed  from  early  youth  in 
all  feminine  employments,  useful  as  well  as  brilliant. 
She  often  said,  afterward,  "The  needle  and  distaff 
are  sad  enemies  to  the  brush  and  the  pencil."  Her 
first  master  was  Clelio,  and  after  his  death  she  threw 


66  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

herself  into  the  bold  and  brilliant  manner  of  Lanfran- 
co.  She  produced  the  great  paintings  that  adorned 
the  church  founded  by  her  uncle,  of  St.  Lucia,  in 
Eome.  Becoming  the  inheritor  of  the  cardinal's  large 
possessions,  she  founded,  according  to  his  directions,  a 
cloister,  with  a  seminary  attached  for  students  from 
Eomagna ;  as  abbess  of  which,  she  continued  to  prac- 
tice her  favorite  art,  dying  in  1680,  in  the  enjoyment 
of  the  fame  and  popularity  her  industry  and  piety  had 
deservedly  won. 

ARTEMISIA  GENTILESCHI. 

The  life  of  Artemisia  Gentileschi  was  more  in  the 
world  and  more  brilliant.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
the  painter  Orazio  Gentileschi,  was  married  to  Pier 
Antonio  Schiattesi,  and  lived  long  in  Naples.  Keceiv- 
ing  her  earliest  lessons  from  Guido  Keni,  at  a  later  pe- 
riod she  studied  the  works  of  Domenichino,  one  of  the 
best  masters  of  expression  in  the  Bolognese  school. 
Her  great  reputation  was  acquired  by  numerous  por- 
traits, and  her  skill  in  this  species  of  painting  obtained 
for  her  the  honor  of  a  call  to  the  English  court, 
whither  her  father  accompanied  her.  There  the  art- 
appreciating  monarch  Charles  I.  gave  her  abundant 
employment.  She  was  esteemed  not  inferior  to  her 
father  in  historical  pieces.  King  Charles  placed  sev- 
eral of  her  works  among  his  treasures.  "  David  with 
Goliath's  head"  was  considered  her  best.  Some  of 
the  royal  family  sat  to  her  for  their  portraits,  as  did 
several  of  the  nobility.  A  female  figure,  representing 
Fame,  of  great  merit,  was  in  the  royal  collection.  Her 
own  portrait  is  in  Hampton  Court,  painted  in  the 
powerful  and  vivid  style  of  Michael  Angelo.  Wagen 
says  she  excelled  her  father  in  portraits. 


GENTILESCHI.  67 

Having  reaped  a  rich,  reward  for  her  labors  in  En- 
gland, she  returned  to  Naples,  where  she  seems  to  have 
established  herself  in  much  splendor.  She  died  in 
1642,  at  the  age  of  fifty-two.  Several  letters  addressed 
to  the  Cavalier  del  Pozzo  were  found  among  her  pa- 
pers. In  one,  dated  1637,  she  inquires  coolly  after 
her  husband.  "  Sia  servita  darmi  nuova  della  vita  o 
morte  di  mio  marito."  Some  of  her  letters  contain 
orders  for  gloves ;  now  her  request  to  the  Pope  was 
permission  for  a  priestly  friend  to  bear  arms ;  now  she 
appealed  to  the  Cardinal  Barberini,  then,  all  powerful 
in  Rome,  for  assistance  in  disposing  of  some  large  pic- 
ture, to  furnish  means  to  provide  for  the  wedding  of  a 
daughter  with  suitable  magnificence ;  after  the  grant- 
ing of  which  favor,  she  would  add,  in  the  Italian  fash- 
ion, that,  "free  from  this  burden,"  she  would  return 
contented  to  her  home.  A  fine  specimen  of  her  skill 
in  painting  is  a  picture  of  "  Judith,"  in  the  Palazzo 
Pitti,  which  shows,  in  its  ground- work,  the  principles 
of  the  school  of  Bologna ;  while  its  finish,  on  the  other 
hand,  exhibits  the  startling  effects  of  the  Neapolitan 
school.  Lanzi  says,  "It  is  a  picture  of  strong  color- 
ing, of  a  tone  and  intensity  that  inspires  awe."  Mrs. 
Jameson  remarks,  "  This  dreadful  picture  is  a  proof 
of  her  genius,  and,  let  me  add,  of  its  atrocious  misdi- 
rection." But  the  artist  should  not  be  censured  for 
her  treatment  of  a  subject  which  may  not  have  been 
her  own  choice.  "  Susannah  and  the  Elders"  pleases 
by  the  scene  and  the  drapery  of  the  figures.  The 
"Birth  of  John  the  Baptist,"  in  the  Museum  of  Ma- 
drid, painted  by  this  lady  as  a  family  piece,  displays 
the  same  combination,  but  has  more  of  the  freedom  of 
nature,  and  a  certain  boldness  that  betokens  familiar 
acquaintance  with  life  and  the  best  models. 


68  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

ELISABETTA  SIKANI. 

A  place  among  the  most  gifted  and  the  most  illus- 
trious women  who,  in  any  country  or  in  any  age,  have 
devoted  themselves  to  the  fine  arts,  must  be  accorded 
to  Elisabetta  Sirani.  She  has  been  pronounced  a 
complete  artist ;  unrivaled  by  any  of  her  sex  in  fertil- 
ity of  invention,  in  the  power  of  combining  parts  in  a 
noble  whole,  in  knowledge  of  drawing  and  foreshort- 
ening, and  in  the  minute  details  that  contribute  to  the 
perfection  of  a  painting.  Had  she  lived  longer,  she 
would  have  equaled  any  painter  of  her  time. 

She  was  born  in  Bologna,  about  1640,  and  was  the 
daughter  of  a  painter  of  no  inconsiderable  merit.  She 
was  enrolled  among  the  pupils  of  Guido  Eeni,  and  her 
artistic  character  was  formed  after  the 'model  of  this 
most  gifted  and  most  versatile  master  of  the  Bolognese 
school.  She  imbibed  from  him  an  exquisite  sense  of 
the  beautiful,  and  a  peculiar  gift  of  reproducing  it. 
To  this  she  added  a  vigor  and  energy  rare  in  a  woman. 
She  made  herself  acquainted  early  with  the  works  of 
the  most  distinguished  painters,  and  manifested  so 
much  talent  in  youth,  that  she  became  the  admiration 
of  her  acquaintances,  particularly  as  she  excelled  also 
in  music;  while,  to  the  gift  of  genius,  she  added 
that  of  rare  personal  loveliness.  Lanzi  speaks  of  her 
with  enthusiastic  admiration.  It  is  not  often  that  an 
artist  of  celebrity  so  generally  wins  the  affections  of 
those  who  know  her.  This  popularity  perhaps  added 
to  her  renown ;  or  the  tragical  fate  of  the  blooming 
girl  may  have  contributed  to  invest  her  name  with  a 
halo  of  romantic  glory.  Malvasia,  who  tells  -us  she 
was  persuaded  by  her  father  to  adopt  the  profession 
of  a  painter,  calls  her  "the  heroine  among  artists" — 


ELISABETTA  SIKANI.  69 

and  himself  "  the  trumpeter  of  her  fame."  Another 
eulogist,  in  the  glowing  style  of  Picinardi,  praises  her 
unwearied  industry,  her  moderation  in  eating,  and 
simplicity  in  dress ;  and  the  exquisite  modesty  with 
which  she  was  always  ready  for  household  employ- 
ments. She  would  rise  at  dawn  to  perform  those  low- 
ly domestic  tasks  for  which  her  occupations  during 
the  day  left  her  little  leisure,  and  never  permitted  her 
passion  for  art  to  interfere  with  the  fulfillment  of 
homely  duties.  Thus  she  was  admirable  in  the  circle 
of  daily  life,  as  in  her  loftiest  aspirations.  She  ob- 
tained time  in  this  manner  for  her  exercises  in  poetry 
and  music.  All  praised  her  gracious  and  cheerful 
spirit,  her  prompt  judgment,  and  deep  feeling  for  the 
art  she  loved.  Besides  being  a  painter,  she  was  an 
adept  in  sculpture  and  engraving  on  copper,  thus 
meriting  the  praise  lavished  on  her  as  "a  miracle  of 
art." 

Her  devoted  filial  affection,  her  feminine  grace,  and 
the  artless  benignity  of  her  manners,  completed  a 
character  regarded  by  her  friends  as  an  ideal  of  per- 
fection. Malvasia  mentions  the  rapidity  with  which 
she  worked,  often  throwing  off  sketches  and  execut- 
ing oil  pictures  in  the  presence  of  strange  spectators. 
The  envious  artists  of  her  time  took  occasion,  from 
the  number  of  her  paintings,  to  insinuate  that  her  fa- 
ther gave  out  his  own  works  for  his  daughter's  to  ob- 
tain a  higher  price  for  them ;  but  the  stupid  calumny 
soon  fell  to  the  ground,  for  every  one  had  free  access 
to  the  studio  of  Elisabetta,  and  one  day,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Duchess  of  Brunswick,  the  Duchess  of 
Mirandola,  Cosimo,  Duke  of  Tuscany,  and  others,  she 
drew  and  shaded  subjects  chosen  by  each  with  such 
promptitude  that  the  incredulous  were  confounded. 


70  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

She  had  hardly  received  the  commission  of  her  large 
picture — "The  Baptism  of  Jesus" — before  she  had 
sketched  on  the  canvas  the  entire  conception  of  that 
memorable  incident,  including  many  and  various  fig- 
ures ;  and  the  work  was  completed  with  equal  rapid- 
ity. She  was  then  only  twenty  years  of  age. 

Her  method  has  been  compared  to  that  of  Guido 
Reni,  whose  versatility  she  combined  with  rare  force 
and  decision,  and  peculiar  delicacy  and  tenderness; 
the  most  opposite  qualities  being  harmonized  in  her 
productions. 

This  fascinating  artist,  in  the  height  of  her  fame,  in 
the  flush  of  early  womanhood,  was  snatched  from  her 
friends  by  a  cruel  and  mysterious  doom.  Her  fate  is 
involved  in  a  darkness  which  has  not  been  penetrated 
to  this  day.  Some  do  not  hesitate  to  aver  that  her 
sudden  death  was  a  base  and  cruel  murder ;  that  she 
was  poisoned  by  the  same  hands  that  administered  the 
deadly  draught  to  Domenichino — those  of  Ribiera  or 
his  disciples,  jealous  of  her  rising  fame.  The  general 
impression  is  that  she  was  the  victim  of  professional 
envy.  Some  averred  that  her  death  was  caused  by 
the  revenge  of  a  princely  lover,  whose  dishonorable 
advances  were  repelled,  or  some  great  personage  who 
was  incensed  at  her  refusal  to  engage  in  his  service, 
or  of  a  distinguished  individual  who  felt  aggrieved  by 
a  caricature,  and  secretly  employed  a  servant  to  put 
poison  in  her  food.  Each  story  was  believed  among 
her  contemporaries,  and  the  record  of  the  examination 
is  yet  extant ;  but  it  was  conducted  without  regular- 
ity, and  throws  no  light  upon  the  mysterious  assas- 
sination. 

Great  was  the  excitement  on  the  14th  November, 
1665,  in  Bologna,  on  the  day  of  her  funeral,  when  the 


ELISABETTA  SIRANI.  71 

whole  population  crowded,  weeping,  to  see  the  once 
beautiful  features  distorted  by  the  hateful  poison.  The 
victim  of  revenge  or  jealousy  was  honored  with  solemn 
and  splendid  funeral  ceremonies  in  the  church  of  St. 
Domenico. 

Shortly  after  her  death  a  work  was  published,  in 
which  was  included  a  number  of  poetical  eulogies  and 
tributes,  from  the  most  eminent  poets  of  the  day,  to  the 
memory  and  virtues  of  the  deceased.  One  line  runs 
thus  i 

"I  was  a  woman,  yet  I  knew  not  love." 

Picinardi  adds  the  information  that  the  pure  calm  of 
her  soul  was  never  disturbed  by  the  grand  passion. 
On  the  other  hand,  Gualandi  intimates  that  the  high- 
ly gifted  maiden  cherished  for  a  young  artist  of  her 
acquaintance  an  ardent  affection,  but  that  her  father 
would  not  consent  to  the  marriage.  The  romantic 
may  please  themselves  with  the  supposition  that  the 
seed  of  genius  sown  in  the  nature  of  this  richly  endow- 
ed girl  was  quickened  in  the  glow  of  an  unhappy  pas- 
sion into  the  gorgeous  bloom  that  attracted  the  eye  of 
the  world. 

Elisabetta  lies  at  rest  in  the  chapel  of  the  Madonna 
del  Eosario  in  the  church  of  St.  Domenico,  which  also 
incloses  the  dust  of  her  great  master,  Guido  Eeni.  The 
works  enumerated  as  hers  by  Malvasia,  from  her  own 
register,  were  one  hundred  and  fifty  pictures  and  por- 
traits, some  of  them  large  and  carefully  finished.  Her 
first  public  work  was  executed  in  1655.  Her  com- 
position was  elegant  and  tasteful ;  her  designing  cor- 
rect and  firm;  and  the  freshness  and  suavity  of  her 
color,  especially  in  demi-tints,  reminded  one  of  Gruido. 
The  air  of  her  heads  was  graceful  and  noble,  and  she 
was  peculiarly  successful  in  the  expressive  character 


72  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

of  her  Madonnas  and  Magdalens.  Among  her  finest 
pictures  are  mentioned  a  Francesco  di  Padoua  kneel- 
ing before  the  infant  Christ,  a  Virgin  and  St.  Anna 
contemplating  the  sleeping  Saviour,  and  others,  pre- 
served in  several  palaces  in  Bologna.  Her  portrait 
of  herself  was  taken  in  the  act  of  painting  her  father. 
Another  portrait  of  her  is  in  the  person  of  a  saint  look- 
ing up  to  heaven.  Among  her  paintings  on  copper, 
which  are  exquisitely  delicate,  is  a  Lot  with  his  chil- 
dren, now  in  the  possession  of  a  family  in  Bologna. 
She  produced  etchings  of  the  Beheading  of  John  the 
Baptist,  the  Death  of  Lucretia,  and  several  master- 
pieces ;  all  distinguished  by  delicacy  of  touch  and  by 
ease  and  spirit  in  the  execution.  Her  painting, ' '  Amor 
Divino,"  represents  a  lovely  child,  nude,  seated  on  a 
red  cloth,  holding  in  its  left  hand  a  laurel  crown  and 
sceptre,  while  with  the  right  it  points  to  a  quiver  and 
some  books  lying  at  its  feet.  Bolognini  says :  "  It  is 
impossible  to  conceive  any  thing  more  beautiful  in  form 
or  more  exquisite  in  finish  than  this  lovely  child." 

Like  Guido's,  the  influence  of  Elisabetta  Sirani  on 
the  progress  of  art  in  Bologna  was  exhibited  in  the 
number  of  scholars  who  sought  instruction  from  her, 
or  studied  her  paintings  to  ground  themselves  in  her 
system.  So  illustrious  an  example  as  she  presented 
must  naturally  have  contributed  greatly  to  the  en- 
couragement and  development  of  female  talent,  and 
many  were  the  women  whom. her  success,  in  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  stimulated  to  exertion.  One  of  Elisa- 
betta Sirani's  pupils  was  Ginevra  Cantofoli  of  Bolo- 
gna. She  painted  history  pieces  with  some  reputation. 
In  a  church  of  Bologna  is  a  picture  by  her — The  Last 
Supper.  Her  best  was  San  Tommaso  di  Yillanuovo. 

Sirani's  sisters,  Anna  Maria  and  Barbara,  are  also 
mentioned  among  her  scholars,  with  Lucrezia  Scara- 


FEMALE  ARTISTS  OF  BOLOGNA.  73 

faglia,  Maria  Teresa  Coriolani,  and  Veronica  Fontana, 
who  carved  excellently  well  in  wood,  and  executed 
portraits  in  this  manner  which  were  highly  praised. 
Many  other  names  of  women  are  recorded  who  de- 
rived their  impressions  of  art,  directly  or  indirectly, 
from  Sirani. 

Teresa  Muratori  was  the  daughter  of  an  eminent 
physician,  and  born  at  Bologna  in  1662.  At  an  early 
age  she  showed  a  genius  for  painting  and  music.  She 
was  instructed  in  designing  by  Emilio  Taruffi,  and 
afterward  took  lessons  from  Lorenzo  Parmello  and 
Giovanni  Gioseffo  dal  Sole.  She  painted  historical 
pieces,  and  several  religious  ones  for  churches  in  Bo- 
logna. She  died  at  the  age  of  forty-six. 

Orlandi  speaks  highly  of  Maria  Helena  Panzacchi. 
She  was  born  at  Bologna  in  1668,  was  taught  design- 
ing by  Taruffi,  and  became  a  reputable  painter  of  land- 
scapes, which  she  embellished  with  figures.  Her  works 
were  correct  in  design,  and  the  disposition  was  mark- 
ed by  elegance  and  taste.  Several  of  them  are  in 
private  collections  at  Bologna. 

Bologna  boasted  also  of  Ersilia  Creti,  a  pupil  of  her 
father  Donato,  and  of  Maria  Viani,  of  whose  workman- 
ship a  reclining  Yenus,  in  the  Dresden  gallery,  exqui- 
sitely done,  remains  to  her  praise. 

Among  others  of  the  school  of  Bologna,  we  may 
mention  Maria  Dolce,  the  daughter  and  pupil  of  Carlo 
Dolce,  so  noted  and  so  admired  for  the  calm  dignity 
of  his  productions.  She  copied  several  of  her  father's 
pictures.  The  name  of  another  painter,  Agnes  Dolce, 
may  be  added ;  but  we  must  pass  over  a  host,  observ- 
ing only  that  the  Bolognese  was  throughout  the  seven- 
teenth century  the  richest  in  female  talent  of  all  the 
schools  of  Italy. 

D 


74  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 

School  of  the  Academicians  after  Caravaggio. — Unidealized  Nature. 
— Rude  and  violent  Passions  delineated. — Dark  and  stormy  Side  of 
Humanity. — Dark  Coloring  and  Shadows. — The  gloomy  and  pas- 
sionate expressed  in  Pictures  appeared  in  the  Lives  of  Artists. — The 
Dagger  and  Poison-cup  common.— Aniella  di  Rosa. — The  Pupil  of 
Stanzioni. — Character  of  her  Painting. — Romantic  Love  and  Mar- 
riage.— The  happy  Home  destroyed. — The  hearth-stone  Serpent. — 
Jealousy. — The  pretended  Proof. — Phrensy  and  Murder.— Other 
fair  Neapolitans. — The  Paintress  of  Messina. — The  Schools  of  Bo- 
logna and  Naples  embrace  the  most  prominent  Italian  Paintings. — 
Commencement  of  Crayon-drawing. — Tuscan  Ladies  of  Rank  cul- 
tivating Art. — The  Rosalba  of  the  Florentine  School. — Art  in  the 
City  of  the  Cassars. — The  Roman  Flower-painter. — Engravers. — 
Medallion-cutters. — A  female  Architect. — A  Roman  Sculptress. — 
Women  Artists  of  the  Venetian  School. — At  Pavia. — The  Paint- 
er's four  Daughters. — Chiara  Varotari. — Shares  her  Brother's  La- 
bors.—A  skillful  Nurse.— Her  Pupils.— Other  female  Artists  of 
this  time. — The  Schools  of  Northern  Italy. — Their  Paintresses. — 
Giovanna  Fratellini. 

IN  contrast  to  the  school  established  as  before  men- 
tioned, certain  academicians  had  set  up  one  grounded 
on  principles  promulgated  by  Michael  Angelo  da  Car- 
avaggio, wherein  the  old  idealism  and  conventional 
forms  of  beauty  were  neglected,  and  the  models  fur- 
nished by  the  works  of  the  early  masters  were  entire- 
ly slighted,  to  make  room  for  a  simple  copying  of  na- 
ture, whether  beautiful  or  repulsive,  full  of  grace  or 
rugged  and  barren  of  all  charms.  This  new  school 
had  been  planted  in  Naples  by  Caravaggio ;  and  be- 
neath that  glowing  sky  arose  a  number  of  masters  who 
devoted  themselves  not  only  to  the  reproduction  of 


ANTELLA  DI  EOSA.  75 

unidealized  nature,  but  the  delineation  of  human  pas- 
sions in  their  sternest  and  most  violent  demonstra- 
tions ;  preferring,  in  fact,  to  depict  the  darkest  and 
stormiest  side  of  humanity.  For  this  purpose,  depth 
of  coloring  and  dark  shadows  were  employed.  These 
masters  were  not  wanting  in  talent,  nor  were  their  cre- 
ations without  effect  and  influence ;  but  they  had  noth- 
ing of  the  pure  and  holy  element  which  seems  like  a 
genuine  inspiration  in  art.  The  gloomy  and  passion- 
ate, expressed  in  their  pictures,  too  often  appeared  also 
in  their  characters  and  actions. 

The  relations  of  these  Neapolitan  artists  with  those 
of  the  Bolognese  school  were  by  no  means  friendly, 
and  rivals  settled  their  disputes  as  frequently  with  the 
dagger  and  the  poison-cup  as  with  the  pencil  and  the 
palette.  Such  a  state  of  things  was  hardly  favorable 
to  the  development  of  woman's  talent. 

ANIELLA  DI  ROSA. 

Yet  we  find  one  artist  of  surpassing  merit,  who,  on 
account  of  her  genius  and  her  tragical  fate,  was  called 
the  Sirani  of  the  school  of  Naples.  This  was  Amelia 
di  Rosa,  niece  of  the  painter  Pacecco  di  Rosa,  and  pupil 
of  that  Massimo  Stanzioni  who,  in  common  with  Cara- 
vaggio,  exercised  a  species  of  tyranny  over  the  strug- 
gles of  Neapolitan  art,  and  was  one  of  the  leaders  of 
the  opposition  set  up  against  the  artists  from  Bologna. 
Aniella  painted  in  his  atelier,  and  he  directed  her  stud- 
ies with  paternal  solicitude.  She  succeeded  in  giving 
to  her  pictures  the  grace,  the  soft  and  transparent  color- 
ing of  Pacecco,  and  united  in  her  heads  the  elegance 
of  her  uncle's  style  with  the  correct  drawing  and  able 
grouping  of  Stanzioni.  Her  master  set  her  to  color  his 
sketches,  and  she  succeeded  so  well  that  he  often  sold 


76  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

their  joint  productions  as  his  own.  When  her  educa- 
tion was  sufficiently  advanced,  she  desired  that  her  tal- 
ents should  be  put  to  a  public  test ;  and  her  master  in- 
duced the  governors  of  the  church  of  the  Pieta  dei 
Turchini  to  give  her  a  commission  for  two  paintings 
which  were  to  adorn  the  ceiling. 

Amelia  produced  two  paintings  so  excellent  that 
many  declared  they  were  completed  by  Stanzioni. 
But  Domenici  says  he  has  seen  several  of  her  original 
pictures,  and  that  they  are  "most  beautiful  produc- 
tions." uHer  master  himself,"  he  continues,  "avows 
in  his  writings  that  she  equals  the  best  masters  of  our 
time."  One  of  the  pictures  represented  the  Birth  of 
the  Virgin ;  the  other,  her  Death.  The  figures  are 
larger  than  life ;  and  the  boldness  of  design,  the  effects 
of  light  and  shade,  and  the  management  of  the  dra- 
pery, drew  praise  from  two  eminent  artists,  who  said 
she  was  an  honor  to  her  country,  and  that  many  artists 
might  learn  from  her.  She  also  did  several  heads  of 
the  Madonna  in  red  chalk,  pronounced  equal  in  draw- 
ing to  the  works  of  the  most  renowned  artists. 

During  the  earliest  days  when  Aniella  frequented 
Stanzioni's  studio,  she  became  acquainted  with  Agos- 
tino  Beltramo,  a  high-spirited  Neapolitan  youth.  He 
soon  became  enamored  of  the  beautiful  girl,  and  his 
frank  manners  and  noble  bearing,  with  the  promise 
his  early  efforts  gave  of  his  becoming  a  good  artist, 
were  a  passport  to  her  heart.  His  love  was  accepted, 
and  they  were  betrothed.  Stanzioni  exerted  himself 
in  their  behalf,  and  through  his  good  offices  the  con- 
sent of  the  parents  for  the  marriage  of  the  young  peo- 
ple was  obtained.  A  rare  similarity  of  tastes,  and  their 
mutual  labors  in  art,  caused  all  to  admire  and  many 
to  envy  the  happiness  of  their  union.  The  serenity 


ANIELLA   DI   KOSA.  77 

of  Amelia's  disposition  tended  to  insure  the  peace  of 
their  daily  life ;  and  during  sixteen  years  which  they 
passed  together  both  acquired  no  insignificant  artistic 
fame.  The  husband  excelled  in  frescoes ;  the  lady  in 
oil-paintings.  The  superb  painting  of  San  Biagio,  in 
the  church  of  the  Sanita,  in  Naples,  is  the  result  of 
their  mutual  labors. 

But  the  cloud  was  brooding  over  the  happy  home 
which  was  to  burst  in  a  fatal  storm.  An  evil-minded 
woman,  young  and  beautiful,  entered  the  house  of  An- 
iella  as  a  servant.  She  was  in  love  with  Agostino; 
and,  finding  all  her  charms  and  artifices  ineffectual  to 
move  him  from  his  fidelity  to  his  noble  wife,  or  even 
to  win  his  attention,  she  set  herself  to  work  to  accom- 
plish the  ruin  of  this  domestic  happiness. 

She  contrived  to  insinuate  herself  into  the  confi- 
dence of  the  man  she  could  not  tempt ;  and  then,  drop 
by  drop,  with  the  perfidy  and  subtle  cunning  of  lago, 
she  succeeded  in  instilling  into  his  heart  the  poison  of 
jealousy.  By  degrees  she  undermined  his  faith  in  the 
spotless  virtue  of  Aniella. 

The  husband  grew  morose  and  irritable,  and  at 
times  manifested  the  change  that  had  come  over  him 
by  sudden  outbursts  of  ill-humor.  Yainly  Aniella 
strove  by  unremitting  patience  and  redoubled  affection 
to  soothe  his  wayward  moods.  She  soon  perceived 
that  all  her  happiness  must  be  derived  from  her  art, 
and  from  the  approbation  of  her  old  master,  who  fre- 
quently visited  her.  She  painted  in  her  best  manner 
a  Holy  Family,  and  presented  it  to  him.  "  On  see- 
ing," writes  Domenici,  u  with  what  mastery  of  draw- 
ing and  perfection  of  coloring  Aniella  had  completed 
the  painting,  and  because  she  had  so  toiled  for  him, 
he  was  overcome  with  feeling,  and,  in  a  transport  of 


78  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

affection,  clasped  her  in  his  arms,  exclaiming  that  she 
was  his  best  pupil,  and  that,  had  he  been  asked  to  re- 
touch the  painting,  he  should  not  know  where  to  be- 
gin, for  fear  of  destroying  the  beautiful  coloring." 

The  infamous  servant  was  playing  the  spy  through- 
out this  scene,  and  had  called  up  a  servant-lad  to  sup- 
port her  testimony.  On  Stanzioni's  departure  Agos- 
tino  returned. 

"Now,"  cried  this  hearth-stone  serpent,  "  now  I  have 
proofs  to  set  all  doubts  at  rest — proofs  I  will  furnish 
you  with  in  the  presence  of  your  wife."  Confronted 
with  her  mistress,  the  vile  hireling  charged  her  with 
guilty  embraces,  and  called  the  servant-lad  to  confirm 
the  charge.  Amelia,  astounded  and  indignant,  dis- 
dained to  defend  herself,  but  stood  before  her  husband 
mute  and  motionless,  while  a  flush  of  pain  and  indig- 
nation mantled  on  her  brow.  Her  silence  confirmed 
Agostino's  suspicions ;  in  his  phrensy  he  drew  his 
sword,  and  the  next  moment  Amelia  lay  dead  at  his 
feet.  Thus  closed  the  career  of  this  noble  artist,  in 
1649,  in  the  thirty-sixth  year  of  her  age.  She  was  not 
the  only  victim  to  the  taste  for  the  horrible  and  for 
wild  extremes  of  passion  then  prevailing  in  the  works 
of  artists,  and  too  common  in  their  personal  expe- 
rience. 

Another  fair  Neapolitan,  who  also  worked  in  Rome 
at  portrait-painting,  was  Angela  Beinaschi.  The  nun, 
Luisa  Copomazza,  a  landscape-painter  and  poetess,  and 
the  flower-painter,  Ciena  Ricchi,  were  of  Naples ;  with 
the  painter  and  modeler  in  wax,  Catarina  Juliani,  call- 
ed the  "  ornamento  della  patria" 

Teresa  del  Po — daughter  of  a  painter,  the  disciple  of 
Domenichino,  and  distinguished  for  oil  and  miniature 
painting,  and  copper  engraving — came  from  a  family 


FEMALE  ARTISTS  OF  OTHER  SCHOOLS.  79 

of  Palermo.     She  etched  plates  in  her  father's  style ; 
some  after  Caracci. 

Messina  boasted  of  Anna  Maria  Ardoino,  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  Princess  de  Polizzi,  accomplished  in  every 
branch,  including  music  and  poetry,  who  won  great 
celebrity  on  account  of  her  splendid  attainments  in  art 
and  literature,  and  was  admitted  a  member  of  the 
Academy  of  Arcadia  in  Kome.  She  died  in  1700,  at 
Naples,  in  the  bloom  of  her  life  and  fame,  and  it  is  said 
her  death  was  occasioned  by  grief  for  the  loss  of  a  son. 

The  two  schools  of  Bologna  and  Naples  may  be 
said  to  embrace  the  greater  number  of  the  prominent 
productions  of  the  pencil  in  Italy  during  the  period  of 
which  we  have  spoken.  Other  cities  enjoyed  their  pe- 
culiar distinctions  as  the  seats  of  different  schools  of 
art,  but  they  exhibited  more  or  less  the  influence  of 
these  chief  ones.  In  Florence — the  ancient  home  of 
Italian  painting — artists  of  distinction  exercised  their 
skill;  and  the  superior  cultivation  and  taste  diffused 
under  the  auspices  of  distinguished  Tuscan  ladies,  con- 
tributed, in  no  small  measure,  to  the  encouragement  of 
female  enterprise.  While  Maria  Borghini — elevated, 
by  the  judgment  of  her  contemporaries,  to  a  seat  be- 
side Yictoria  Colonna,  and  Mary  dei  Medici,  who  not 
only  patronized  art,  but  gave  it  her  own  personal  ef- 
forts— won  the  meed  of  admiration,  others  were  not 
backward  in  the  race  for  the  golden  apple  of  renown. 

Arcangela  Paladini,  of  Pisa,  born  1599,  already  men- 
tioned as  a  painter,  was  also  an  engraver.  Her  por- 
trait, by  herself,  is  in  the  gallery  of  artists  in  Florence. 
She  died  at  the  age  of  twenty -three.  As  flower-paint- 
ers, we  hear  of  Anna  Maria  Yajani  and  Isabella  Picci- 
ni ;  Giovanna  Eedi  was  a  successful  pupil  of  the  skill- 
ful Gabbiani ;  and  Giovanna  Marmochini  was  no  less 


80  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

favorably  known  in  art  than  as  a  wit  and  a  learned 
lady.  She  has  been  called,  for  the  excellence  of  her 
miniatures,  the  Eosalba  of  the  Florentine  school.  Nic- 
cola  Grassi,  of  Genoa,  is  also  called  by  Lanzi  "the  ri- 
val of  Eosalba."  She  painted  original  compositions 
and  church  pictures. 

Eome,  meanwhile,  maintained  her  ancient  fame. 
The  city  of  the  Caesars  had  often  been  the  arena  where 
the  striving  masters  of  the  Bolognese  and  the  oppos- 
ing schools  contended  for  the  establishment  of  the  su- 
premacy they  coveted.  Nor  was  she  wanting  in  wom- 
en artists  of  her  own,  able  to  do  credit  to  their  birth- 
place. "We  may  mention  the  excellent  flower-painter, 
Laura  Bernasconi,  and  the  engravers,  Isabella  and  Hi- 
eronima  Parasole,  whose  name  became  so  celebrated 
that  the  husband  of  the  first  adopted  it,  dropping  his 
own.  Isabella  executed  several  cuts  of  plants  for  an 
herbal  published  under  the  direction  of  Prince  Cesi, 
of  Aquasparta.  She  also  published  a  book  on  the 
methods  of  working  lace  and  embroidery,  illustrated 
with  cuts  engraved  from  her  own  designs.  Hieronima 
engraved  on  wood,  among  other  pictures,  "  The  Battle 
of  the  Centaurs." 

Beatrice  Hamerani  worked  at  medallions,  and  in 
1700  elaborated  a  large  medallion  of  Pope  Innocent 
XII.,  highly  praised  by  Goethe  as  "undoubtedly  one 
of  the  most  skillful,  expressive,  and  powerful  produc- 
tions of  art  which  ever  came  from  the  hands  of  a 


woman." 


Add  to  these  the  name  of  the  only  woman  who  was 
ever  known  to  have  been  a  practical  architect.  This 
was  Plautilla  Brizio,  who  has  left  monuments  of  her 
excellence  in  that  species  of  art  in  a  small  palace  be- 
fore Porta  San  Pancrazio,  and  in  the  chapel  of  St. 


CHIAEA  VAROTAKI.  81 

Benedict,  in  San  Luigi  dei  Frances!.  In  the  latter  is 
a  picture  painted  by  her  hand.  The  villa  Giraldi, 
near  Rome,  is  the  joint  work  of  this  lady  and  her 
brother. 

The  female  sculptor  Maria  Domenici,  who  pursued 
her  profession  in  Kome,  was  a  native  of  Naples. 

Passing  over  many  of  the  Italian  cities,  and  attempt- 
ing no  sketch  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  school  of 
Venice,  we  find  there  several  not  insignificant  women 
artists.  Paolina  Grandi,  Elisabetta  Lazzarini,  and 
Damina  Damini  were  known  as  painters,  and  Dome- 
nia  Luisa  Eialto  as  an  engraver  on  copper.  The  sis- 
ters Carlotta  and  Gabriella  Patin  enjoyed  celebrity  for 
both  learning  and  artistic  skill.  They  lived  at  Pavia, 
and  were  members  of  the  Academy  dei  Ricovrati. 

The  four  daughters  of  the  Venetian  painter  Niccolo 
Renieri,  who  practiced  the  same  art,  should  be  men- 
tioned. Anna,  the  eldest,  became  the  wife  of  Antoine 
Vandyck. 

Chiara  Varotari  was  so  highly  esteemed  by  those 
who  knew  her,  that  a  niche  was  assigned  her  by  con- 
temporaries equal  to  that  of  Maria  Robusti  in  the  six- 
teenth century.  She  was  daughter  and  pupil  of  Dario 
Varotari,  and  the  sister  of  that  Alessandro  Varotari 
who  became  so  noted  as  a  painter,  under  the  name 
Padovanino.  Chiara  frequently  shared  in  the  execu- 
tion of  his  works.  She  was  not  less  praised  for  her 
beauty,  and  her  skill  as  a  tender  nurse  of  the  sick. 
Her  triumphs  over  the  discomfort  of  disease  were 
signal,  in  that  field  where  female  prowess  so  often 
achieves  its  deeds  of  heroism.  Such  conquests  are 
seldom  recorded  by  the  historian's  pen;  but  it  is 
pleasant  for  once  to  rescue  them  from  oblivion. 
Honors  were  conferred  on  her  by  the  Grand-Puke  of 
D2 


82  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Tuscany,  who  placed  her  portrait  in  his  collection. 
This  artist  numbered  among  her  pupils  Lucia  Scali- 
geri  and  Caterina  Taraboti.  Boschini  thinks  she  gave 
public  instruction,  like  Sirani.  She  died,  full  of  years, 
in  1660,  ten  years  after  the  brother  whose  labors  she 
had  aided. 

Anna  Maria  Yajani,  who  engraved  in  Eome  in  the 
middle  of  this  century,  executed  a  part  of  the  plates 
for  the  Justinian  Gallery. 

Laura  Bernasconi  imitated  the  famous  flower-paint- 
er Mario  Mizzi,  called  "  Mario  dai  fiori."  With  his 
coloring  she  had  also  his  defects. 

Maria  Yittoria  Cassana  was  the  sister  of  two  paint- 
ers, and  painted  chiefly  devotional  pieces,  in  little. 
She  died  1711.  Lucia  Casalina,  a  disciple  of  Giuseppe 
dal  Sole,  turned  her  attention  to  portraits. 

Angelica  Veronica  Airola,  a  Genoese,  studied  paint- 
ing under  Domenico  Fiasella.  She  painted  religious 
pictures  for  the  convents  and  churches  of  Genoa,  and 
became  a  nun  of  the  order  of  St.  Bartholomew  della 
Fiavella.  Soprani  and  others  mention  her. 

Giovanna  Garzoni  painted  flowers  and  miniature 
portraits  about  1630.  At  Florence  she  painted  some 
of  the  Medici  and  the  nobles.  Dying  at  Eome  in 
1673,  she  bequeathed  her  property  to  the  academy  of 
St.  Luke,  in  which  there  is  a  marble  monument  to  her 
memory. 

Two  daughters  of  Caccia — called  "the  Fontane  of 
Monferrato" — painted  altar  and  cabinet  pieces.  One, 
Francesca,  adopted  for  her  symbol  a  small  bird ;  Ur- 
sula, a  flower.  Ursula  founded  the  convent  of  the 
Ursulines,  in  Moncalvo.  Some  of  her  landscapes  are 
decorated  with  flowers. 

Lanzi  and  Tiraboschi  mention  Margerita  Gabassi  as 


GIOVANNA  FKATELLINI.  83 

admirable  in  humorous  pieces.  She  died  in  1734, 
aged  seventy-one. 

In  the  Nuova  Guida  di  Torino,  Isabella,  dal  Pozzo  is 
mentioned  as  the  painter  of  a  picture  in  the  church  of 
San  Francesco,  at  Turin,  dated  1666,  and  representing 
the  Virgin  and  Babe  surrounded  with  saints.  Lanzi 
bestows  high  praise  on  her.  In  1676  she  became 
court  painter  to  the  Electress  Adelaide  of  Bavaria. 

The  schools  of  Northern  Italy  recorded  the  names, 
too,  of  Chiara  Salmeggia,  the  painter  of  Bergamo,  and 
of  Maria  la  Caffa,  of  Cremona,  who  worked  at  the 
Court  of  Tyrol ;  of  Camilla  Triumfi ;  and  Maria  Do- 
menici,  a  native  of  Naples,  who  worked  at  sculpture 
in  Rome,  and  died  a  nun  in  1703. 

Lucia  Scaligeri,  a  pupil  of  Chiara  Yarotari,  had  a 
daughter  Agnes,  also  a  painter,  spoken  of  by  Boschini. 
Caterina  Rusca  was  a  native  of  Ferrara,  and  known 
as  an  engraver  and  poetess. 

Crayon-drawing  seems  to  have  been  much  in  vogue 
at  this  time.  Giovanna  Fratellini,  called  by  Lanzi 
"an  illustrious  female  artist,  from  the  school  of  Gab- 
biani,"  painted  in  crayons  as  well  as  in  oil,  miniature 
and  enamel.  So  famous  did  she  become  that,  after 
executing  the  portraits  of  Cosmo  III.  and  family — a 
drawing  consisting  of  fourteen  figures  in  a  superb 
apartment,  of  the  richest  architecture,  remarkable  for 
its  judicious  disposition  and  lovely  coloring — her 
patron  sent  her  throughout  Italy  to  paint  the  other 
princes.  "Her  pencil  is  light,  delicate,  and  free," 
writes  Pilkington ;  "  her  carnations  are  natural,  and 
full  of  warmth  and  life,  and  as  she  understood  per- 
spective and  architecture  thoroughly,  she  made  an 
elegant  use  of  that  knowledge,  enriching  her  pictures 
with  magnificent  ornaments.  Her  draperies  are  gener- 


84  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

ally  well  chosen,  full  of  variety,  and  remarkable  for  a 
noble  simplicity.  Her  works  rendered  her  famous, 
not  only  in  Italy,  but  in  Europe."  Her  portrait  is  in 
the  gallery  at  Florence ;  she  painted  herself  in  the  act 
of  drawing  her  son  and  pupil,  Lorenzo,  in  whom  were 
centred  all  her  hopes.  Under  her  tuition  he  made 
rapid  progress  in  art,  but  died  suddenly,  at  an  early 
age.  His  mother  never  recovered  from  the  blow; 
life  and  art  had  alike  lost  their  charms  for  her,  and 
she  speedily  followed  him  to  the  grave. 


FRENCH  AND  SPANISH  SCHOOLS.  85 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Contrast  between  the  Academicians  and  Naturalists,  and  between  the 
French  and  Spanish  Schools  of  Painting. — Peculiarities  of  each. — 
Ladies  of  Rank  in  Madrid  Pupils  of  Velasquez. — Instruction  of 
the  royal  Children  in  Art. — The  Engraver  of  Madrid. — Every  City 
in  the  South  of  Spain  boasts  a  female  Artist. — Isabella  Coello. — 
Others  in  Granada. — In  Cordova. — The  Sculptress  of  Seville. — 
Luisa  Roldan;  her  Carvings  in  Wood. — The  Canons  "sold." — 
Invitation  to  Madrid.  —  Sculptress  to  the  King.  —  Other  Women 
Artists  in  Spain. — In  France  Woman's  Position  more  prominent 
than  in  preceding  Age. — Corruption  of  court  Manners. — Unwor- 
thy Women  in  Power. — Women  in  every  Department  of  Litera- 
ture. —  Mademoiselle  de  Scudery.  —  Madame  de  la  Fayette.  — 
Madame  Dacier. — Women  in  theological  Pursuits.  —  Their  As- 
cendency in  Art  not  so  great. — Miniature  and  Flower  Painters. — 
Engravers.  —  Elizabeth  Sophie  Cheron.  —  A  Leader  in  Enamel- 
painting.  —  Her  Portraits  and  History-pieces.  —  Her  Merits  and 
Success. — Her  Translations  of  the  Psalms. — Musical  and  Poetical 
Talents. — Honors  lavished  on  her. — Love  and  Marriage  at  three- 
score. —  Her  Generosity  to  the  needy.  —  Verses  in  her  Praise. — 
Historical  Tableaux. — Madelaine  Masson. — The  Marchioness  de 
Pompadour. 

STRIKING  contrasts  belong  to  the  history  of  art  in 
the  seventeenth  century.  A  moral,  religious,  and  art- 
istic contrast  existed  between  the  academicians  and 
the  naturalists ;  and  one  as  remarkable  may  be  noticed 
between  the  French  and  Spanish  schools  of  painting, 
corresponding,  in  fact,  to  the  civil  struggle  between 
the  two  nations  for  European  supremacy.  In  Spain 
the  enthusiasm  for  art  harmonized  with  the  passionate 
character  of  the  people ;  in  France,  discretion  and  in- 
tellectual taste  predominated.  The  sensuous  and  rude- 


86  WOME^  ARTISTS. 

1  j  natural  in  Spanish,  art  was  combined  with  the  warm- 
est glow  of  religious  feeling. 

Velasquez,  a  son  of  Andalusia,  had  a  number  of 
scholars  in  Madrid  among  ladies  of  high  rank.  Donna 
Maria  de  Abarca  and  the  Countess  of  Vill'  Ambrosa 
were  celebrated  for  their  skill  in  taking  likenesses, 
and  were  highly  praised  by  the  poets.  The  Duchess 
of  Bejar,  Teresa  Sarmiento,  and  Maria  de  Guadalupe, 
Duchess  of  Aveiro — also  an  accomplished  linguist  and 
lover  of  letters — had  considerable  celebrity  as  paint- 
ers. The  admiration  of  Philip  IY.  for  art  rendered 
the  instruction  therein  of  the  royal  children  and  those 
of  the  nobility  a  necessary  branch  of  education.  The 
Duchess  of  Alba,  celebrated  for  her  beauty  and  in- 
trigues, gave  one  of  Kaphael's  master-pieces  as  a  fee 
to  the  family  physician,  who  had  cured  her  of  a  dan- 
gerous illness. 

Maria  Eugenia  de  Beer  was  an  engraver  in  Madrid, 
and  we  may  find  in  the  choir-books  of  the  cathedral 
at  Tarragona  creditable  specimens  of  the  talent  of  the 
painter  Angelica,  who  painted  the  illuminations  with 
great  neatness  and  skill. 

Every  city  in  the  south  of  Spain  seemed  to  be  able 
to  boast  of  a  female  artist.  In  Valencia  lived  Dona 
Isabella  Sanchez  Coello,  the  daughter  and  pupil  of 
"the  Spanish  Prothogenes" — Alonzo  Sanchez  Coello 
— the  first  of  the  great  Spanish  portrait  painters,  and 
the  Velasquez  of  the  court  of  Philip  II.  Born  in 
1564,  she  was  the  playmate  of  Infants  and  Infantas, 
and  she  acquired  distinction  both  in  music  and  paint- 
ing. She  married  Don  Francisco  de  Herrera,  Knight 
of  Santiago.  Dying  in  Madrid  in  1612,  she  was  bur- 
ied with  her  husband's  family  in  the  church  of  San 
Juan. 


LUISA   ROLDAN.  87 

Magdalena  Gilarte  was  a  noted  painter,  and  worked 
in  her  father's  style  with  spirit  and  skill.  Jesualda 
Sanchez  carried  on  her  husband's  business  after  his 
death,  and  painted  small  pictures  of  the  saints  for  sale. 

In  Granada  we  find  Dona  Maria  Cueva  Benavides 
y  Barrados  an  admired  painter,  and  Anna  Heylan  an 
engraver  in  copper.  In  Cordova,  Dona  Francisca  Pa- 
lomino y  Velasco,  the  sister  of  the  painter  and  art  his- 
torian of  the  same  name.  She  flourished  about  the 
close  of  the  century. 

THE  SCULPTRESS  OF  SEVILLE. 

To  the  school  of  Seville,  in  which  Spanish  art 
reached  its  highest  development,  belongs  a  fair  artist 
of  repute.  Luisa  Eoldan  was  known  as  an  excellent 
sculptor  in  wood.  She  was  born  in  1656,  and  profit- 
ed by  her  father's  instructions  in  art,  acquiring  great 
skill.  After  her  mother's  death,  she  kept  both  her 
household  and  the  studio  in  orderly  operation,  attend- 
ing with  successful  management  to  the  affairs  of  both, 
and  keeping  busy  at  work  both  her  servants  and  her 
father's  pupils. 

Koldan  was  indebted  to  her  for  valuable  hints.  He 
had  carved  a  statue  of  St.  Ferdinand  for  the  Cathedral, 
which  the  canons  rejected.  Luisa  suggested  certain 
anatomical  operations  with  the  saw,  which  were  per- 
fectly successful.  The  canons  took  the  work  for  a 
new  one,  and  were  satisfied ;  and  the  saint  was  peace- 
fully installed  in  his  chapel.  Her  chief  productions 
were  small  figures  of  the  Virgin,  or  groups  of  the  Ad- 
oration of  the  shepherds,  etc.,  and  all  were  designed 
and  executed  with  delicacy  and  grace.  She  sculptured 
a  Magdalen  supported  by  an  angel,  the  statue  giving 
an  exquisite  idea  of  an  angel's  sweetness  and  protect- 


88  WOMEN"  ARTISTS. 

ing  love.  It  is  placed  in  the  hospital  at  Cadiz.  Her 
small  pieces  are  full  of  expression. 

She  married  Don  Luis  de  los  Arcos,  and  was  invited 
to  Madrid  in  1692,  through  Don  Cristobal  Ontanon, 
who  had  presented  several  of  her  works  to  Charles  II. 
The  king  was  pleased,  and  ordered  a  statue  of  St. 
Michael,  life  size,  for  the  church  of  the  Escurial.  This 
Luisa  executed  with  great  success,  and  to  the  admira- 
tion of  the  connoisseurs.  The  work  elicited  compli- 
mentary verses  from  a  distinguished  poet,  and  the  art- 
ist was  rewarded  by  the  post  of  sculptress  in  ordinary 
to  the  king,  with  a  salary  of  a  hundred  ducats,  paid 
from  the  day  she  arrived  at  court. 

When  Charles  II.  died  she  had  just  completed  a 
statue  of  our  Saviour  which  he  had  ordered  for  a  con- 
vent ;  its  destination  was  then  changed  to  a  nunnery 
at  Sisanto.  She  died  at  Madrid  in  1704,  leaving  in 
the  palace  treasure  a  small  group,  modeled  in  clay, 
representing  St.  Anna  teaching  the  Virgin  to  read,  and 
attended  by  angels.  Some  of  her  works  were  placed 
in  the  Kecolete  Convent,  and  some  in  the  Chartreuse 
of  Paulan. 

Dona  Isabella  Carasquilla  was  a  painter,  and  mar- 
ried a  miniaturist,  Juan  de  Valdes  Leal  of  Cordova. 
Their  daughters  Luisa  and  Maria  were  highly  educa- 
ted, and  painted  miniatures.  The  latter  died  in  1730, 
a  nun  in  the  Sistercian  Convent  at  Seville. 

Eosalba  Salvioni,  a  painter  of  celebrity,  was  the  pu- 
pil of  Mesquida.  Dona  Inez  Zarcillo  evinced  no  small 
taste  in  drawing  and  modeling.  She  was  the  sister  of 
a  sculptor. 

Maria  de  Loreto  Prieto,  an  artist's  daughter,  pos- 
sessed extraordinary  talent  for  painting  and  engrav- 
ing. Her  father  was  highly  esteemed  by  Charles  III., 


WOMEN  ARTISTS  IN  FRANCE.  89 

and  had  the  oversight  of  all  the  coins  for  the  purpose 
of  improving  the  stamps. 

Caterina  Querubini,  the  wife  of  Preciado,  a  minia- 
ture-painter, enjoyed  a  pension  from  the  Spanish 
court,  and  an  honored  place  in  the  Academy  de  San 
Fernando. 

Dona  Isabella  Farnese,  the  wife  of  Philip  V.,  and 
Angela  Perez  Caballero,  drew  exceedingly  well,  and 
were  members  of  the  Academy  in  Madrid. 

WOMEN  ARTISTS  IN  FRANCE. 

In  France  women  had  taken  a  position  more  prom- 
inent than  in  the  preceding  century.  Even  the  gal- 
lantry prevailing  in  society,  and  the  corruption  of 
court  manners,  were  promoted  by  feminine  influence. 
Unworthy  women  were  raised  to  power,  and  the  his- 
tory of  court  favorites  from  the  reign  of  the  knightly 
Henry  IV.  to  that  of  the  great  monarch  Louis  XIV. 
forms  the  most  important  part  of  the  annals  of  the 
empire. 

Women  took  eminent  places  in  every  department 
of  literature ;  in  the  drama  Catherine  Bernard  was  the 
disciple  of  Kacine,  and  Mademoiselle  de  Scudery  had 
many  imitators  in  her  poetical  romances ;  while  Mad- 
ame de  la  Fayette  took  the  lead  in  a  more  modern 
style  of  fiction.  Madame  Dacier  became  celebrated  as 
"  the  most  learned  and  eloquent  of  women,"  and  her 
example  helped  to  spread  a  love  of  knowledge  and 
classical  attainment  among  the  French  ladies.  Even 
theological  pursuits  had  a  Jeanne  de  la  Mothe-Guyon 
to  represent  mysticism  in  conflict  with  the  orthodoxy 
of  the  court  and  the  state. 

In  art  the  ascendency  of  woman  was  by  no  means 
so  great.  "We  may,  however,  name,  as  prominent  in 


90  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

portrait  and  miniature  painting,  Antoinette  and  Mad- 
elaine  Herault ;  the  latter,  in  1660,  married  Noel  Coy- 
pel.  She  joined  noble  virtues  to  her  extraordinary 
talents.  Henriette  Stresor  and  Catherine  Perrot  may 
also  be  mentioned.  Catherine  Duchemin,  a  flower- 
painter,  married  the  famous  sculptor  Girardon. 

Several  women  were  noted  as  engravers  on  copper ; 
among  them  Claudine  Bonzonnet  Stella  has  been 
called  the  first  in  France,  and  practiced  the  art  with 
her  two  sisters.  Jane  Frances  and  Mary  Ann  Ozanne, 
the  sisters  of  a  French  engraver,  worked  chiefly  in 
engraving  sea-side  scenes. 

ELIZABETH  SOPHIE  CHARON. 

But  she  who  occupies  the  highest  place  among  all 
the  artists  of  this  period  is  Elizabeth  Sophie  Cheron. 
Born  in  Paris  in  1648,  she  received  instruction  from 
her  father  in  miniature  and  enamel  painting,  in  which 
she  attained  such  perfection  that  she  may  be  regard- 
ed as  the  leader  of  the  host  of  French  artists  who  de- 
voted themselves  especially  to  this  branch.  At  the 
age  of  twenty -six  she  was  admitted  a  member  of  the 
Academy,  at  the  proposal  of  Charles  Le  Brun.  She 
was  received  with  distinction ;  his  portrait  by  her  be- 
ing her  reception  picture. 

Her  merits  were  a  fine  tone,  exquisite  taste  and 
harmony  in  design,  and  finely-disposed  draperies.  She 
often  made  portraits  from  memory.  Her  portraits 
were  so  frequently  treated  in  an  allegorical  manner 
they  might  be  called  historical ;  and  her  history -pieces 
were  much  admired.  She  designed  much  after  the 
antique. 

Her  father  had  educated  Elizabeth  in  the  strictest 
principles  of  Calvinism ;  but  her  mother,  Marie  Le- 


ELIZABETH  SOPHIE   CHERON.  91 

fevre,  a  Catholic,  persuaded  her  to  become  a  member 
of  that  church,  after  a  year's  seclusion  in  the  com- 
munity of  Madame  de  Miramion.  The  difference  in 
faith  did  not  impair  her  affection  to  her  family.  She 
supported  her  brother  Louis  for  some  time  in  Italy, 
whither  he  went  to  study  painting. 

This  accomplished  artist  passed  the  maturity  of  life 
without  any  of  the  experiences,  with  which  almost 
every  young  girl  is  familiar,  of  the  tender  passion. 
Her  emotions  seem  to  have  been  altogether  spiritual. 
She  translated  many  of  the  Psalms  into  French  verse ; 
and  they  were  published  with  illustrations  by  Louis. 
She  played  admirably  on  the  lute,  and  was  accustom- 
ed to  practice  in  the  parlor  with  her  nieces  and  pupils, 
who  performed  on  different  instruments.  Louis  XIV. 
gave  her  a  pension  of  five  hundred  livres. 

The  most  eminent  scholars  of  the  day  were  her 
friends  and  visitors ;  and  in  conversation  she  evinced 
the  highest  mental  cultivation.  Her  portraits  were 
chiefly  painted  as  presents  to  her  friends,  or  as  orna- 
ments to  her  own  cabinet.  "I  have  the  pleasure," 
she  would  say,  "  of  seeing  them  in  their  absence." 

In  spiritual  lyrics  she  was  the  precursor  of  J.  B. 
Kousseau,  with  whom  in  warmth  of  feeling  she  may 
be  compared;  and  in  narrative  poetry  she  acquired 
much  reputation.  The  Academy  dei  Eicovrati,  in 
Padua,  received  her  as  a  member  in  1699,  under  the 
name  of  Erato.  She  possessed  beauty  and  engaging 
manners,  and  to  all  the  honors  lavished  on  her  she 
joined  the  crowning  grace  of  modesty. 

The  attractions  of  this  gifted  being  did  not  depart 
with  the  beauty  of  fleeting  youth.  At  the  age  of  six- 
ty she  fascinated  the  affections  of  the  Sieur  Le  Hay,  a 
gentleman  about  her  own  age,  on  whom  she  bestow- 


92  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

ed  her  hand,  simply  with  the  generous  motive,  it  was 
said,  of  promoting  his  good  fortune.  Tradition  re- 
ports that,  when  they  came  out  of  the  church  after 
the  ceremony  had  been  performed,  the  bride  made  a 
speech  to  her  husband,  implying  that  esteem,  not  ro- 
mantic love,  had  influenced  her  choice.  She  is  said 
to  have  alluded  to  him,  under  the  name  of  Damon,  in 
one  of  her  poems. 

As  of  Madame  Dacier,  it  might  be  said  of  this  art- 
ist— the  traits  of  a  great  and  manly  nature  might  be 
discerned  in  her  face.  Her  features  wore  an  expres- 
sion of  decision  and  firmness.  Her  hair,  in  her  por- 
trait, curls  from  the  top  and  floats  in  ringlets.  She 
was  remarkable  for  the  modesty  and  simplicity  of  her 
dress.  Her  large  and  sympathizing  heart  made  her 
the  protector  and  benefactor  of  needy  artists,  while 
her  social  qualities  drew  around  her  the  brilliant  cir- 
cles that  habitually  were  found  at  her  house,  includ- 
ing many  of  the  most  gifted  and  illustrious  of  that 
day.  Her  death  took  place  in.  1711,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-three,  and  she  was  buried  at  St.  Sulpice.  She 
was  lamented  by  Fermelhuis  in  a  canto  of  praise. 
The  Abbe  Bosquillon  wrote  the  following  lines  to  be 
inscribed  under  her  portrait : 

"Do  deux  talens  exquis  1'assemblage  nouveau 
Rendra  toujours  Cheron  1'ornement  de  la  Fiance; 
Eien  ne  pent  de  sa  plume  egaler  1'excellence 
Que  les  graces  de  son  pinceau." 

For  different  gifts  renowned,  fair  Cheron  see, 

Ever  of  France  the  ornament  and  pride ; 
Equaled  by  none  her  pen's  great  works  shall  be, 

Save  when  her  pencil  triumphs  at  their  side. 

Mademoiselle  Cheron  made  many  studies  from  Ea- 
phael  and  the  Caracci.  Among  her  historical  tableaux 


MADAME  DE   POMPADOUR.  93 

are  enumerated,  "  The  Flight  into  Egypt" — the  Virgin 
represented  in  a  wearied  sleep,  with  angels  guarding 
the  babe;  " Cassandra  inquiring  of  a  god  the  doom 
of  Troy ;"  "  The  Annunciation ;"  "  Christ  at  the  Sep- 
ulchre"— after  Zumbo ;  with  "  The  Demoiselles  de  la 
Croix" — her  nieces  and  pupils ;  and  a  grand  portrait 
of  the  Archbishop  of  Paris,  placed  in  the  Jacobin 
school  of  the  Eue  St.  Jacques. 

Maclelaine  Masson  was  the  daughter  of  Anthony 
Masson,  a  celebrated  engraver,  and  was  borji  in  Paris, 
1660.  She  received  instruction  from  her  father,  and 
engraved  portraits  in  his  fine  style.  Among  these  is 
the  picture  of  Maria  Teresa,  Queen  of  France,  and  of 
the  Infanta  of  Spain. 

The  Marchioness  de  Pompadour  engraved  and  ex- 
cuted  small  plates  after  Boucher  and  others.  She  en- 
graved one  set  of  sixty -three  prints,  after  gems  by 
Gay. 


94:  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 


CHAPTER  YHI. 

THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Two  different  Systems  of  Painting  in  the  North.— The  Flemish  School 
represented  by  Rubens.— The  Dutch  by  Rembrandt,— Characteris- 
tics of  Rubens'  Style. — No  female  Disciples. — Unsuited  to  femi- 
nine Study? — Some  "Women  Artists  of  the  first  Part  of  the  Cen- 
tury.— Features  of  the  Dutch  School. — A  wide  Field  for  female 
Energy  and  Industry. — Painting  de  genre. — Its  Peculiarities. — 
State  of  Things  favorable  to  female  Enterprise. — Early  Eiforts  in 
Genre-painting.  —  Few  Women  among  Rembrandt's  immediate 
Disciples.  —  Genre-painting  becomes  adapted  to  female  Talent. — 
"The  Dutch  Muses." — Another  Woman  Architect. — Dutch  Wom- 
en Painters  and  Engravers. — Maria  Schalken  and  others. — "The 
second  Schurmann." — Margaretta  Godewyck. — The  Painter-poet. 
— Anna  Maria  Schurmann. — Wonderful  Genius  for  Languages. — 
Early  Acquirements. — Her  Scholarship  and  Position  among  the 
learned. — A  Painter,  Sculptor,  and  Engraver. — Called  "the  Won- 
der of  Creation." — Ro}Tal  and  princely  Visitors. — Journey  to  Ger- 
many.— Embraces  the  religious  Tenets  of  Labadie. — His  Doctrines. 
— Joins  his  Band. — Collects  his  Followers,  and  leads  them  into 
Friesland. — Poverty  and  Death. — Visit  of  William  Penn  to  her. 
— Her  Portrait. — Her  female  Contemporaries  in  Art. — Flower- 
painting  in  the  Netherlands. — Its  Pioneers. — Maria  Van  Ooster- 
wyck. — Her  Birth  and  Education. — Early  Productions.  —  Cele- 
brated at  foreign  Courts. — Presents  from  imperial  Friends. — Enor- 
mous Prices  for  her  Pictures. — Royal  Purchasers. — The  quiet  Art- 
ist at  work. — The  Lover's  Visit. — The  Lover's  Trial  and  Failure. 
— Style  of  her  Painting. — Rachel  Ruysch. — The  greatest  Flower- 
painter. — Early  Instruction. — Spread  of  her  Fame.  —  Domestic 
Cares. — Professional  Honors. — Invitations  to  Courts. — Her  Pa- 
tron, the  Elector. — Her  Works  in  old  Age. — Her  Character. — 
Rarity  of  her  Paintings. — Personal  Appearance. 

WHILE  the  academicians  and  naturalists  of  the  Ital- 
ian schools  contended  through  the  seventeenth  centu- 


THE  SCHOOL   OF  RUBENS.  95 

ry,  and  while  in  France  and  Spain  the  works  of  art 
exhibited  as  great  contrasts,  modified  in  each  country 
by  national  peculiarities,  two  different  systems  in  the 
North  came  into  notice.  These,  as  in  the  time  of  Yon 
Eyck,  had  great  influence  upon  the  development  of 
art  in  other  lands  besides  that  where  they  originated. 
One  was  the  Flemish  school,  represented  by  Eubens ; 
the  other  the  Dutch,  in  which  Eembrandt  was  regard- 
ed as  the  mighty  master. 

The  style  of  Kubens,  brilliant,  luxuriant,  and  full  of 
vigorous  life,  it  may  be  thought  would  commend  itself 
peculiarly  to  the  attention  of  women.  This  school, 
however,  in  which  the  healthy  and  florid  naturalism 
of  Flemish  art  reached  its  highest  development,  seems 
to  have  been  without  any  female  disciples  of  note. 
The  passionate  and  often  intensely  dramatic  character 
of  the  works  of  Eubens  and  his  scholars,  and  the  phys- 
ical development  of  his  nude  figures,  were,  indeed, 
scarcely  suited  to  feminine  study,  though  their  fullness 
of  life  and  warmth  of  coloring  afterward  won  to  imi- 
tation an  artist  like  Madame  O'Connell.  We  may 
also  mention  Micheline  Wontiers,  a  portrait  painter  in 
the  first  half  of  the  seventeenth  century.  An  engrav- 
ing was  made  from  one  of  her  productions  by  Pontius, 
who  busied  himself  with  the  works  of  Eubens.  The 
name  of  Catherine  Pepyn,  too,  is  found  inscribed  as  a 
portrait  painter  in  the  St.  Luke's  Society  of  Artists 
at  Antwerp,  about  1655. 

In  Holland,  on  the  other  hand,  the  new  school  of 
painting  owed  its  marked  features  to  the  political  and 
religious  revolution  that  had  been  the  fruit  of  the  re- 
formed doctrines.  This  change  offered  a  wide  field 
for  the  exercise  of  female  energy  and  genius.  With 
the  progress  of  the  new  faith  kept  pace  the  rapid  ad- 


96  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

vance  of  literature;  the  great  questions  at  issue  and  the 
more  earnest  domestic  life  of  the  Hollanders  furnish- 
ing ample  materials  for  thought  and  description. 
Painting  came  under  the  same  influence,  and  this  was 
evident  when  the  depth  and  power  of  feeling  in  his 
works  marked  Eembrandt  as  one  of  the  greatest  mas- 
ters of  all  time. 

A  novel  species  of  the  art  was  called  painting  de 
genre.  Herein  life  was  represented  in  all  its  rich  and 
varied  forms,  and  the  world  and  real  humanity  became 
objects  of  attention  where  hitherto  only  idealized  rep- 
resentations had  been  tolerated.  A  new  arena  was 
thus  opened,  in  which  there  was  promise  of  noble 
achievement,  and  the  rudest  and  meanest  aspects  of 
common  life  soon  appeared  capable  of  being  invested 
with  an  ideal  fascination.  The  painter  de  genre,  armed 
with  the  wand  of  humor,  often  succeeded  in  such 
attempts,  and  success  led  to  the  adoption  of  that 
wonderfully  poetical  chiar'  oscuro  in  coloring,  which, 
till  this  period,  had  never  attained  the  same  degree  of 
favor  either  in  the  North  or  the  South. 

This  state  of  things  was  eminently  favorable  to  fe- 
male enterprise,  and  we  find,  accordingly,  in  a  number 
of  fair  artists,  evidences  of  the  energetic  industry  and 
careful  minuteness  for  which  the  women  of  Holland 
have  been  particularly  noted.  However,  in  the  earli- 
est efforts  at  painting  de  genre,  wherein  the  Flemish 
artists  stood  opposed  to  the  schools  of  Italy,  women 
took  no  share.  These  trial  specimens  usually  consist- 
ed of  some  rough  piece  after  nature,  such  as  the 
drunken  boors  and  rustic  women  of  the  elder  Breu- 
ghel, and  for  a  long  time  the  prevailing  taste  ran  on 
the  low,  coarse,  and  fantastic  in  the  models  selected. 
There  was  more  to  disgust  than  to  attract  cultivated 


THE  DUTCH  SCHOOL.  97 

women  in  such  a  fashion,  and,  notwithstanding  their 
alleged  fancy  to  run  into  extremes,  this  will  account 
for  the  fact  that  they  did  not  choose  to  be  numbered 
among  those  who  delighted  in  such  a  copying  of  na- 
ture. One  we  hear  of,  Anna  Breughel,  seems  to  have 
been  a  kinswoman  of  a  younger  painter  of  that  name. 

The  earnestness,  depth,  and  intensity  given  to  this 
species  of  art  by  Kembrandt  seemed  to  lie  as  little 
within  the  compass  of  female  fancy,  which  rather  de- 
lighted in  pleasing  delineations  of  more  superficial 
emotion,  than  in  the  concentration  of  the  deepest  feel- 
ings of  nature.  Thus  few  women  were  found  among 
the  immediate  disciples  of  Eembrandt. 

But  as  painting  de  genre  accommodated  itself  more 
pleasingly  to  representations  of  ordinary  life  and  cir- 
cumstances, and.  the  delicacy  of  detail  that  formed  the 
peculiar  charm  of  this  species  of  art  was  lavished  on 
attractive  phases  of  character,  the  school  became  more 
and  more  the  nursery  of  female  talent. 

Literature,  at  this  period,  experienced  a  similar 
change ;  and  it  is  interesting  to  see  the  same  persons 
pursuing  both  branches  of  study.  This  was  the  case 
with  the  two  painters,  Tesselschade-Visscher — called 
the  "  Dutch  Muses,"  on  account  of  their  poetry — with 
Elizabeth  Hoffmann,  and  the  dramatic  poet,  Catharina 
Lescaille ;  also  with  one  of  whom  we  shall  presently 
speak,  whose  fame  traveled  far  beyond  the  boundaries 
of  her  native  land. 

Among  the  older  artists  of  the  Dutch  school  we  may 
mention,  in  passing,  the  fruit  and  flower  painter,  An- 
gelica Agnes  Pakman ;  Madame  Steenwyk,  a  design- 
er in  architecture ;  and  the  portrait-painter,  Anna  de 
Bruyn.  Anna  Tessala  was  eminent  as  a  skillful  carv- 
er in  wood.  Concerning  Maria  Grebber,  a  pupil  of 

E 


98  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Savary,  Van  Mander  remarks  that  she  was  well  skilled 
both  in  perspective  and  in  building  plans.  Maria  and 
Gezina  Terburg  were  sisters  of  Gerard,  and,  like  him, 
skillful  in  genre-painting. 

Gottfried  Schalken,  who  introduced  a  simpler  meth- 
od, and  surprising  effects  of  light,  was  not  more  cele- 
brated than  his  sister  and  pupil,  Maria,  for  productions 
remarkable  for  delicacy  of  execution  and  tender  ex- 
pression. Eglon  van  der  Neer  shared  his  fame  with 
his  wife,  Adriana  Spilberg.  She  was  born  in  Amster- 
dam, in  1646,  and  was  taught  by  her  father,  an  emi- 
nent painter.  She  excelled  in  crayons  or  pastels, 
though  she  often  painted  in  oil.  Her  portraits  were 
said  to  be  accurate  likenesses.  They  were  delicately 
colored,  and  executed  with  neatness  and  care.  She 
was  much  patronized  at  the  court  of  Diisseldorf. 

Caspar  Netscher,  one  of  the  best  and  most  pleasing 
masters  in  this  peculiar  style,  had  a  disciple  in  Marga- 
retta  Wulfraat,  whose  historical  paintings — a  Cleopa- 
tra and  a  Semiramis — are  to  be  seen  in  Amsterdam, 
and  who  died  at  a  great  age  early 'in  the  eighteenth 
century. 

A  still  greater  interest  attaches  to  artists  who  also 
took  an  active  part  in  the  elevation  of  Dutch  litera- 
ture. Anna  and  Maria  Tesselschade — the  daughters 
of  Yisscher,  already  mentioned — belonged  to  this  class ; 
they  were  also  celebrated  for  their  fine  etchings  on 
glass.  Their  literary  culture  brought  them  into  asso- 
ciation with  the  most  eminent  scholars  of  that  day. 

With  them  may  be  ranked  Margaretta  Godewyck 
— born  at  Dort,  in  1627,  and  a  pupil  of  Maas — who  at- 
tained celebrity  both  in  painting  and  in  her  knowledge 
of  the  ancient  and  modern  languages.  She  was  called 
"  the  second  Schurmann,"  and  many  praised  her  as 


ANNA  MARIA  SCHURMANN.  99 

"  the  lovely  flower  of  art  and  literature  of  the  Merwe- 
strom  ;"  that  is,  of  Dortrecht.  She  painted  landscapes 
and  flowers,  and  embroidered  them  with  great  skill. 
She  died  at  fifty. 

Catharina  Questier,  who  resided  at  Amsterdam,  was 
distinguished  for  painting,  copper-engraving,  and  mod- 
eling in  wax,  besides  having  no  small  consideration 
accorded  to  her  poetry.  Two  of  her  comedies,  that  ap- 
peared in  1655,  evince  her  skill  in  at  least  three  branch- 
es; for  the  drawings  and  engravings  that  illustrated 
the  dramas  were  entirely  her  own  design  and  execution. 

ANNA  MARIA  SCHURMANN. 

A  higher  and  more  enduring  fame  than  all  these 
could  command  must  be  accorded  to  Anna  Maria 
Schurmann,  called  by  the  Dutch  poets  their  Sappho 
and  their  Corneille.  She  was  born  in  November,  1607, 
in  Cologne  (Descampes  says,  at  Utrecht),  of  Flemish 
parents.  Her  family,  like  that  of  Eubens,  was  Prot- 
estant, and  her  parents  fled  to  Cologne  from  the  per- 
secutions of  Alba,  remaining  till  1615,  when  they  re- 
moved to  Utrecht. 

Even  in  early  childhood  the  genius  of  the  young 
girl  displayed  its  bent.  At  three  years  of  age  she  be- 
gan to  read,  and  at  seven  could  speak  Latin.  Her 
mother  tried  to  keep  her  at  the  needle,  but  she  loved 
to  amuse  herself  by  cutting  out  paper  pictures ;  she 
also  painted  flowers  and  birds  —  untaught.  A  few 
years  later,  her  taste  for  poetry  and  learning  languages 
developed  itself.  Learning  was  her  passion ;  the  arts 
her  recreation.  Being  allowed  to  be  present  at  her 
brothers'  Latin  lessons,  she  soon  gained  surprising  pro- 
ficiency in  that  tongue.  "When  she  was  ten  years  old, 
she  translated  passages  from  Seneca  into  French  and 


100  WOME^J"  ARTISTS. 

Flemish.  Her  love  of  study  soon  led  to  the  acquisi- 
tion of  the  Greek.  To  the  classics  she  added,  before 
long,  a  knowledge  of  the  Oriental  languages.  She 
spoke  and  wrote  the  Hebrew,  Samaritan,  Arabic,  Chal- 
daic,  Syriac,  Ethiopian,  Turkish,  and  Persian ;  besides 
being  perfectly  well  acquainted  with  the  Italian,  Span- 
ish, French,  English,  and  German,  and  speaking  every 
European  tongue  with  elegance. 

At  the  age  of  eleven  this  Flemish  lassie  had  read 
the  Bible,  Seneca,  Yirgil,  Homer,  and  ^Eschylus  in 
the  original  tongues ;  at  fourteen  she  composed  a 
Latin  ode  to  the  famous  Dutch  poet  Jacob  Cats,  who 
became  afterward  an  unsuccessful  suitor  for  her  hand. 
She  wrote  verses,  indeed,  in  many  languages.  The 
knowledge  of  different  tongues  greatly  aided  her  theo- 
logical studies,  in  which  she  took  the  deepest  interest 
from  early  life.  It  is  said  that  it  was  by  reading  the 
History  of  the  Martyrs  she  became  imbued  with  the 
tendency  to  religious  enthusiasm  that  so  strongly  in- 
fluenced her  through  life,  and  led  to  so  strange  a 
career  in  her  latter  years. 

The  astonishing  learning  of  this  remarkable  woman 
and  her  mastery  in  the  languages,  caused  her  opinions 
to  be  often  consulted  by  the  most  erudite  scholars  of 
her  time.  Her  judgment  was  always  received  with 
respect;  an  honorable  place  was  reserved  for  her  in 
the  lecture-rooms  of  the  University  at  Utrecht ;  and 
not  unfrequently  she  took  part  openly  in  the  learned 
discussions  there  carried  on.  The  professors  of  the 
University  of  Leyclen  had  a  tribune  made,  where  she 
could  hear  without  mixing  with  the  audience.  "With 
this  wonderful  erudition  Anna  Maria  combined  a  rare 
degree  of  cultivation  in  art.  The  genius  that  had 
shown  itself  in  paper-cutting  still  gave  evidence  of 


ANNA  MARIA  SCHURMANN.  101 

strong  and  resolute  activity.  She  was  skilled  both  in 
drawing  and  painting,  had  a  "happy  taste  in  sculp- 
ture," and  exercised  her  talents  in  carving  in  wood 
and  ivory,  as  well  as  in  modeling  in  wax.  She  carved 
the  busts  of  her  mother  and  brothers  in  wood.  The 
painter  Honthorst  valued  a  single  portrait  executed 
by  her,  at  a  thousand  Dutch  florins.  In  addition,  she 
has  left  evidence  of  her  no  slight  accomplishments  in 
copper-engraving;  and  she  engraved  with  the  dia- 
mond on  crystal.  Taste  in  music,  and  skill  in  play- 
ing on  several  instruments,  fill  up  the  list  of  the 
amazing  variety  of  endowments  bestowed  on  one  of 
the  most  gifted  of  her  sex. 

We  can  not  marvel  that  she  was  called  by  her  con- 
temporaries "  the  wonder  of  creation."  Not  only  was 
she,  on  account  of  such  varied  gifts,  regarded  with 
admiration,  but  she  was  idolized  by  her  acquaintance 
for  personal  qualities.  She  was  in  the  most  intimate 
literary  association  with  men  of  distinguished  learn- 
ing like  Salmatius,  Heinsius,  Yossius — who  is  said  to 
have  taught  her  Hebrew — and  others.  Princes  and 
princesses  came  to  visit  and  converse  with  her,  and 
entered  into  correspondence  with  her. 

Gonzagues,  Queen  of  Poland,  taking  a  journey  to 
Utrecht  in  1645,  went  to  visit  Anna  Maria,  having 
heard  such  wonderful  things  of  her.  After  a  long 
conversation  she  gave  her  flattering  tokens  of  her 
esteem. 

The  Queen  of  Bohemia,  and  the  Princess  Louise, 
her  daughter,  often  wrote  to  her.  With  a  modesty 
that  was  as  rare  as  her  singular  endowments,  Anna 
Maria  declined  all  proffered  honors,  and  it  was  long 
before  she  could  be  persuaded  to  publish  her  literary 
productions.  When  the  distinguished  physician,  Jo- 


102  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

hann  van  Beverwyk  wished  to  dedicate  to  her  his 
treatise  on  the  "  Advantages  of  the  Female  Sex,"  she 
sought  to  withdraw  from  the  intended  compliment. 
In  163  6  she  was  induced  to  publish  a  Latin  poem,  cel- 
ebrating the  foundation  of  the  University  of  Utrecht. 
Her  "  Apology  for  the  Female  Sex,"  and  other  works 
followed  this. 

Anna  Maria  Schurmann  resided  many  years  in  her 
native  city  of  Cologne.  According  to  one  authority, 
part  of  her  time  was  passed  in  a  country  house,  where 
she  lived  in  the  utmost  simplicity,  shunning  the  at- 
tentions of  the  persons  of  celebrity  who  wished  to 
visit  her,  and  dividing  her  time  between  her  art  and 
her  pen.  In  1664  she  made  a  journey  to  Germany  in 
company  with  her  brother;  and  there  first  became 
acquainted  with  Labadie,  the  celebrated  French  en- 
thusiast and  preacher  of  new  doctrines.  He  believed 
that  the  Supreme  Being  would  deceive  man  for  the 
purpose  of  doing  good.  He  taught  that  new  revela- 
tions were  continually  made  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the 
human  soul ;  that  the  Bible  was  not  a  necessary  guide ; 
that  observance  of  the  Sabbath  was  not  imperative; 
that  a  contemplative  life  tended  to  perfection  in  the 
character ;  and  that  such  a  state  could  be  attained  by 
self-denial,  self-mortification,  and  prayer.  This  man 
was  possessed  of  singular  intellectual  powers,  and 
fascinating  eloquence.  He  succeeded  in  gaining  many 
followers,  and  the  mind  of  Anna  Maria,  deep  and  se- 
rious to  melancholy,  and  now  clouded  by  grief  for  the 
loss  of  her  father  and  brothers,  too  readily  gave  cre- 
dence to  his  pretensions. 

Abandoning  both  pen  and  pencil,  she  joined  the 
disciples  of  Labadie,  devoting  herself  to  the  studies 
that  favored  his  theological  doctrines.  To  promote 


ANNA  MARIA  SCHUKMANN.  103 

his  success,  she  published  her  last  work,  entitled  "  Eu- 
cleria,"  in  1673,  the  year  before  the  death  of  the  fa- 
natic. She  attended  him,  and  it  is  said  he  died  in  her 
arms. 

In  this  book  she  deplores  her  early  devotion  to  lit- 
erature and  art.  Other  accounts  add  that  she  collect- 
ed the  followers  of  Labadie — called  Labadists — and, 
continuing  to  disseminate  his  tenets,  assumed  the  lead- 
ership of  the  band,  and  conducted  them  to  Yivert  in 
Friesland.  She  brought  over  Elizabeth  —  Princess 
Palatine — to  these  doctrines,  and  together  they  open- 
ed an  asylum  for  the  wandering  disciples.  True  to 
the  doctrines  she  professed,  Anna  Maria  bestowed  all 
her  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  sank  to  the  grave  in 
poverty,  dying  in  May,  1678,  at  tho  age  of  seventy- 
one. 

William  Penn  mentions,  in  his  "Journey  in  Ger- 
many," a  conversation  he  had  at  Vivert  with  this  won- 
derful woman  in  1677,  noticing  especially  the  gravity 
and  solemnity  of  her  tones  in  discourse. 

Anna  Maria  Schurmann  has  left  behind  her  not  only 
the  renown  of  her  great  learning  and  artistic  culture, 
truly  remarkable  in  one  of  either  sex,  but  also  a  rep- 
utation for  purity  of  heart  and  fervor  of  religious  feel- 
ing, which  can  not  be  disturbed  by  her  mistaken 
though  sincere  belief,  and  the  fanatical  enthusiasm 
with  which  she  clung  to  absurd  dogmas.  In  her  por- 
trait her  hair  is  combed  back  from  her  forehead,  with 
flowing  side  locks.  The  back  knot  is  wreathed  with 
ornaments.  A  large  pointed  collar  closely  encircles 
her  throat.  Her  features  are  marked ;  her  eyes  keen 
and  expressive ;  her  Roman  nose  is  large. 

Among  the  contemporaries  of  Anna  Maria  Schur- 
mann were  the  painters  Clara  Peters,  Alida  Withoos, 


104:  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Susanna  von  Steen,  and  Catharine  Oostfries ;  with  the 
copper-engravers  Susanna  Yerbruggen,  Anna  de  Ko- 
her,  and  Maria  de  Wilde,  who  etched  a  series  of  fifty 
pieces — gems  in  her  father's  collection — and  published 
them  in  1700  at  Amsterdam. 

It  was  in  the  seventeenth  century  that  flower-paint- 
ing was  carried  to  such  perfection  among  the  women 
of  the  Netherlands.  Constantia  of  Utrecht  and  An- 
gelica Pakman  may  be  classed  with  the  pioneers  of  this 
beautiful  art — this  truly  feminine  accomplishment. 

MARIA  VAN  OOSTERWYCK 

was  the  first  eminent  artist  in  this  branch,  and  the 
precursor  of  one  superior  to  her — Rachel  Euysch — 
who,  esteemed  in  her  day  as  the  pride  and  honor  of 
the  Dutch  school,  was,  indeed,  worthy  of  being  reck- 
oned among  those  of  whom  the  whole  world  is  proud. 
Though  not  so  great,  Maria  is  justly  numbered  among 
the  illustrious  women  of  Holland.  She  was  born  at 
Nootdorp,  near  Delft,  about  1630.  She  received  her 
early  instruction  from  the  distinguished  flower-paint- 
er, David  Heem.  Her  father  was  a  preacher  of  the 
Reformed  religion,  and  took  pains  in  cultivating  his 
daughter's  intellectual  powers.  He  did  not  fail  to  no- 
tice her  remarkable  inclination  to  painting,  and  her 
dissatisfaction,  and  even  disgust,  at  the  trifles  that 
served  to  amuse  other  girls  of  her  age.  She  always 
had  the  crayon  in  her  hand. 

Her  early  productions  gained  much  praise,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  she  obtained  such  exceeding  skill 
as  to  become  the  rival  of  her  teacher.  Admiring  con- 
noisseurs carried  her  fame  abroad,  and  she  became  cel- 
ebrated at  foreign  courts.  Her  works  were  eagerly 
sought  by  the  first  princes  of  the  time,  after  Louis 


MARIA  VAN  OOSTERWYCK.  105 

XIY.  of  France  had  placed  one  of  them  in  his  mag- 
nificent collection.  The  Emperor  Leopold  and  the  em- 
press sent  for  specimens  of  her  powers,  for  which  she  re- 
ceived the  portraits  of  their  imperial  majesties,  set  in 
diamonds,  in  token  of  their  esteem.  Her  pieces  com- 
manded enormous  prices.  William  III.  of  England 
paid  her  nine  hundred  florins  for  a  picture,  and  the 
sovereigns  of  Europe  seemed  to  vie  with  one  another 
in  heaping  honors  and  fame  on  this  gifted  woman. 
The  King  of  Poland  purchased  three  of  her  pictures 
for  two  thousand  four  hundred  florins.  These  sums 
were  paid  her  with  every  mark  of  respect,  as  presents 
from  her  friends  rather  than  professional  remunera- 
tion. 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  honors  Maria  led  a  quiet 
and  peaceful  life,  undisturbed  by  excitement  or  change. 
She  was  surrounded  by  a  pleasant  circle  of  friends ; 
she  worked  indefatigably,  and  was  always  found  in 
her  cabinet.  To  obtain  more  time  to  herself,  she  went 
to  pay  a  visit  to  her  grandfather  at  Delft.  One  day 
she  received  a  visit  from  a  young  man,  who  announced 
himself  as  William  van  Aelst,  and  appeared  anxious 
to  see  some  of  her  works.  His  admiration  of  them, 
was  blended  with  an  ardent  love  for  the  artist.  He 
at  last  summoned  courage  to  declare  his  passion,  but 
Maria  replied  that  she  was  firmly  resolved  against  mat- 
rimony. Her  lively  suitor,  she  thought,  too,  was  un- 
suited  to  her  grave  and  quiet  nature. 

Unwilling,  however,  to  crush  his  hopes  too  sudden- 
ly and  treat  him  with  unkindness,  she  annexed  a  con- 
dition to  her  acceptance  of  her  wooer,  which  she  im- 
agined would  effectually  deter  him  from  prosecuting 
his  suit,  or  at  least  wear  out  his  constancy.  She  re- 
quired that  he  should  work  ten  hours  of  every  day 
E2 


106  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

for  a  year.  The  young  man  promised  readily ;  but, 
as  she  supposed,  he  had  not  perseverance  enough  to 
keep  his  word.  His  studio  was  opposite  Maria's ;  she 
watched  him  from  her  window,  and  failed  not  to  mark 
on  the  sash  the  days  he  was  absent  from  his  labors. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  William  came  to  claim  her 
promise.  "  You  have  yourself  absolved  me  from  it," 
was  her  reply ;  and,  going  to  the  window,  she  pointed 
out  to  him  the  record  of  his  idle  days.  The  lover  was 
confounded,  and  retired  disappointed. 

Maria  painted  flowers  with  an  admirable  finish  and 
accuracy,  and  displayed  exquisite  taste  and  art  in  their 
selection  and  grouping ;  she  had  also  wonderful  skill 
in  copying  their  fresh  tints,  and  in  the  harmonious 
adjustment  of  different  colors.  She  took  a  long  while 
and  bestowed  much  labor  in  finishing  her  works,  and 
they  are  consequently  rare. 

She  died  at  the  age  of  sixty -three,  at  the  house  of 
her  nephew,  Jacques  von  Assendelft,  a  preacher  at 
Eutdam  in  Holland. 

RACHEL  RUYSCH. 

Eachel  Euysch  (spelled  also  Kuisch  or  Eeutch)  trod 
in  the  footsteps  of  Maria  van  Oosterwyck,  and  carried 
flower-painting  to  a  perfection  never  before  attained. 
Descampes  says  her  flowers  and  fruit  "surpassed 
nature  herself."  It  is  certain  that  she  succeeded  in 
producing  the  most  perfect  illusion ;  and  the  tasteful 
selection  of  her  subject  and  manner  of  grouping,  dis- 
position, and  contrast,  rendered  the  effect  more  ex- 
quisite. 

This  illustrious  artist  was  the  daughter  of  a  famous 
anatomist,  and  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  1664.  She 
received  lessons  in  painting  from  Wilhelm  van  Aelst, 


EACHEL  KUYSCH.  107 

an  artist  who  ranked  with  De  Heem  and  Huysum 
among  Dutch  flower-painters.  He  and  his  rivals  were 
soon  equaled  by  the  fair  scholar,  and  thenceforward 
she  took  nature  for  her  teacher. 

While  her  fame  went  abroad  with  her  pictures, 
Eachel  sat  and  worked  in  her  secluded  room ;  but  she 
could  not  hide  herself  from  the  arrows  of  the  boy-god. 
She  married — Descampes  and  others  say,  at  the  age  of 
thirty  —  a  portrait-painter  named  Julian  van  Pool, 
who  fell  in  love,  and  introduced  himself  to  her. 

She  became  the  mother  of  ten  children.  In  the 
midst  of  domestic  cares,  and  the  duties  of  attending  to 
her  offspring,  she  managed  not  to  neglect  the  art  she 
loved  so  much ;  yet  we  are  informed  that  her  children 
were  admirably  brought  up.  The  toil  and  study  must 
have  been  immense  which,  in  spite  of  the  interrup- 
tions of  household  employments  and  the  depression 
of  a  narrow  income,  enabled  her  to  attain  such  excel- 
lence that  her  praises  were  sung  by  poets  and  poet- 
esses, and  her  fame  traveled  to  every  court  in  Eu- 
rope. In  1701  the  Academical  Society  of  Haye  ad- 
mitted her  into  membership ;  her  reception  picture 
was  a  beautiful  piece  of  roses  and  other  flowers.  Her 
celebrity  became  so  great  that,  in  1708,  the  Elector 
John  of  the  Pfalz  sent  her  a  diploma,  naming  her 
painter  in  ordinary  to  his  court,  and  inviting  her  to 
take  up  her  residence  in  his  capital.  This  prince 
wrote  her  another  letter,  accompanying  the  gift  of  a 
complete  toilet  set  in  silver,  twenty-eight  pieces,  to 
which  he  added  six  flambeaux  of  the  same  metal. 
He  promised  to  stand  godfather  to  one  of  her  chil- 
dren. When  she  took  her  son  to  Diisseldorf,  the 
elector  decorated  the  babe's  neck  with  a  red  ribbon, 
to  which  was  attached  a  magnificent  gold  medal. 


108  .    WOMEtf  AETISTS. 

In  the  elector's  service  she  produced  a  number  of 
pictures,  most  of  them  for  her  Maecenas,  who  after  pay- 
ing for  them  always  added  honorable  presents.  In 
1713,  on  a  second  visit  to  Diisseldorf,  she  was  received 
with  the  distinction  her  great  talents  merited.  The 
elector  sent  some  of  her  pictures  to  the  Grand-Duke 
of  Tuscany,  who  admired  and  placed  them  among  his 
rich  collection  of  master-pieces.  Several  of  her  works 
were  presented  to  royal  personages ;  some  were  treas- 
ured in  the  gallery  of  Diisseldorf,  and  some  excellent 
pictures  were  preserved  in  Munich. 

After  the  death  of  her  friend  and  patron,  the  elector, 
she  returned  to  Holland,  and  prosecuted  her  art  with 
unwearied  industry.  She  mourned  his  loss  as  her 
friend  and  the  generous  protector  of  art;  but  her 
works  met  with  as  great  success,  and  Flanders  and 
Holland  even  murmured  at  their  being  taken  to  Ger- 
many. 

The  advance  of  old  age  could  not  obscure  her  rare 
gifts;  the  pictures  she  executed  at  eighty  were  as 
highly  finished  as  at  thirty.  To  genius  of  the  highest 
order  she  united  all  the  virtues  that  dignify  and  adorn 
the  female  character.  Eespected  by  the  great — be- 
loved even  by  her  rivals — praised  by  all  who  knew 
her — her  path  in  life  was  strewn  with  flowers,  till  at 
its  peaceful  close  she  laid  her  honors  down.  She  died 
in  1750,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six,  having  been  married 
fifty  years  and  five  years  a  widow. 

Her  works  are  rarely  seen,  from  the  difficulty  of 
inducing  possessors  in  Holland  to  part  with  them. 
At  Amsterdam  there  are  four  beautiful  pieces.  Their 
chief  merits  are  surprising  vigor  and  a  delicate  finish, 
with  coloring  true  to  nature.  Flowers,  fruits,  and  in- 
sects seem  full  of  fresh  life. 


RACHEL  RUYSCH.  109 

Kachel's  style  combined  a  softness,  lightness,  and 
delicacy  of  touch  with  a  certain  grandeur  of  disposi- 
tion and  powerful  effect,  which  caused  the  universal 
recognition  of  a  manly  spirit  and  nobility  of  feeling  in 
her  works.  In  her  portrait  her  hair  is  short,  with 
low-necked  dress  and  beads  round  the  throat.  The 
features  of  the  artist,  large  and  strongly  marked,  bear 
the  same  brave,  open  character  that  spoke  in  the  group- 
ing and  arrangement  of  her  flowers — in  the  freedom 
that  marked  her  compositions  and  was  blended  with 
their  surprising  lightness  and  grace.  In  the  depth  of 
coloring  a  delicate  poetic  fragrance  seemed  to  be  in- 
fused. 


110  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Unfavorable  Circumstances  for  Painting  in  Germany. — Effects  of  the 
Thirty  Years'  War. — The  national  Love  of  Art  shown  by  the  Signs 
of  Life  manifested. — Influence  of  the  Reformation. — Inferiority  of 
German  Art  in  this  Century. — Ladies  of  Rank  in  Literature. — A 
female  Astronomer. — The  Fame  of  Schurmann  awakens  Emula- 
tion.— Distinguished  Women. — Commencement  of  poetic  Orders. 
Zesen,  the  Patron  of  the  Sex. — Women  who  cultivated  Art. — 
Paintresses  of  Nuremberg.  —  Barbara  Helena  Lange. — Flower- 
painters  and  Engravers. — Modeling  in  Wax. — Women  Artists  in 
Augsburg.— In  Munich. — In  Hamburg. — The  Princess  Hollandina. 
— Her  Paintings. — Maria  Sibylla  Merian. — Early  Fondness  for 
Insects. — Maternal  Opposition. — Her  Marriage. — Publication  of 
her  first  Work.  —  Joins  the  Labadists.  —  Returns  to  the  Butter- 
flies.— Curiosity  to  see  American  Insects. — Voyage  to  Surinam. — 
Story  of  the  Lantern-flies.— Return  to  Holland. — Her  Works  pub- 
lished.— Republication  in  Paris  afterward. — Her  Daughters. — 
Her  personal  Appearance. — The  Danish  Women  Artists. — Anna 
Crabbe. — King's  Daughters. — The  Taste  in  Art  in  Denmark  and 
England  governed  by  that  of  foreign  Nations. — Female  Artists  in 
England. — The  Poetesses  most  prominent. — Miniaturists. — Por- 
trait-painters.—  Etchers. — Lady  Connoisseurs. — The  Dwarf's 
Daughter. — Anna  Carlisle. — Mary  Beale. — Pupil  of  Sir  Peter 
Lely. — Character  of  her  Works. — Rumor  of  Lely's  Attachment  to 
her. — Poems  in  her  Praise. — Mr.  Beale's  Note-books. — Anne  Kil- 
legrew. — Her  Portraits  of  the  Royal  Family. — History  and  still-life 
Pieces. — Her  Portrait  by  Lely. — Her  Character. — Dry  den's  Ode 
to  her  Memory. — Her  Poems  published. — Mademoiselle  Rosee. — 
The  Artist  in  Silk.— Wonderful  Effects.— Her  Works  Curiosities. 
— The  Artist  of  the  Scissors.— Her  singular  imitative  Powers. — A 
Copyist  of  old  Paintings. — Her  Cuttings. — Views  of  all  kinds  done 
with  the  Scissors. — Royal  and  imperial  Visitors. — Her  Trophy  for 
the  Emperor  Leopold. — Poems  in  her  Praise. — The  Swiss  Paint- 
ress  Anna  Wasser. — Her  Education  and  Works. — Commissions 


ART  IN  GERMANY.  Ill 

from  Courts. — Her  Father's  Avarice. — Sojourn  at  a  Court. — Re- 
turn home. — Fatal  Accident. — Her  literary  Accomplishments. 

WHILE  in  the  Netherlands,  under  the  influence  of 
the  national  elevation,  art  grew  into  a  school  of  pe- 
culiar nationality,  much  less  favorable  circumstances 
existed  in  Germany.  It  may  be  said,  indeed,  that 
none  less  favorable  could  be  found  in  any  country. 
It  was  not  merely  that  the  land  had  been  wasted  by 
the  Thirty  Years'  War,  for  art  and  knowledge  have 
been  known  to  bud  and  bloom  amid  a  severe  national 
struggle.  This  contest,  however,  was  one  hostile  to 
every  generous  impulse  and  lofty  aspiration,  and  tend- 
ed to  crush  the  noble  energies  that  are  called  forth  in 
other  conflicts.  It  was  an  internecine  and  sordid 
strife;  Germans  were  arrayed  against  Germans,  and 
hordes  of  foreign  robbers  were  encouraged  to  plunder 
the  country  desolated  by  her  own  children.  In  the 
reign  of  mean  and  base  passions,  there  was  no  soil 
where  such  flowers  might  bloom  as  then  made  beauti- 
ful the  Netherlands. 

There  was  wanting,  also,  such  a  central  point  as  was 
afforded  in  France  and  Spain  by  the  courts  of  Ver- 
sailles and  Madrid.  All  things  revolved  in  a  narrow 
and  sordid  sphere  of  individual  interest.  That  Ger- 
many, in  spite  of  this  disastrous  and  gloomy  condition, 
should  have  produced  artists,  and  that  even  women, 
with  self-sacrificing  zeal  should  have  manifested  their 
predilection  for  the  calling,  is  a  proof  of  the  deep  love 
for  art  implanted  in  the  heart  of  the  nation,  showing 
itself  in  brilliant  flashes  during  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  in  the  midst  of  troubles  not  entirely  extinguished. 
The  Eeformation,  while  it  had  inspired  Germany  with 
the  spirit  of  a  new  epoch,  at  first  assumed  a  position 
hostile  to  the  arts  that  had  contributed  to  embellish 


112  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

the  old  faith.  For  three  hundred  years,  by  open  force, 
blind  fury,  and  cold  contempt,  this  misapprehension 
of  the  true  scope  of  art  threatened  to  destroy  what 
preceding  ages  had  left  of  excellence;  nor  did  the 
struggle  terminate  till  the  nineteenth  century. 

Signs  of  life  in  art  had  been  first  perceived  in  Ger- 
many toward  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century ; 
and  there  had  been  progressive  stages  of  improvement. 
The  stiffness  and  seriousness  prescribed  by  tradition 
were  replaced  by  softer  execution  and  an  easier  flow 
of  outline.  Flowing  drapery  and  grace  marked  the 
earliest  attempts  to  express  the  artist's  own  feelings  in 
his  works,  and  a  subjective  principle  was  allowed  in 
paintings. 

In  the  revival  of  art  toward  the  end  of  the  fifteenth 
century  the  sacred  subjects  of  earlier  ages  had  been 
much  chosen.  Afterward,  the  artist's  own  mind  and 
emotions  came  forth  in  self-productive  energy ;  and, 
at  a  later  period,  rose  into  favor  the  accurate  delinea- 
tions of  nature's  forms. 

The  inferiority  of  Germany  in  an  artistic  view,  in 
the  seventeenth  century,  is  undeniable ;  but  many  were 
found  who  longed  after  the  excellence  of  which  other 
lands  could  boast.  "Women  there  were  in  abundance 
who  cultivated  ornamental  literature;  noble  ladies 
and  princesses  patronized  poets  and  courted  the  muses. 
Henrietta  of  Orange,  the  consort  of  the  great  Elector, 
was  one  of  several  royal  dames  yet  remembered  in 
their  sacred  songs.  The  lower  orders  could  boast 
their  cultivated  women ;  and  the  name  of  Maria  Cunitz 
deserves  mention  as  learned  in  the  science  of  astron- 
omy. 

The  fame  of  Anna  Memorata,  Fulvia  Morata,  and 
Anna  Maria  Schurmann  meanwhile  filled  the  German 


GERMAN  FEMALE  ARTISTS.  113 

women  with  emulative  desire  to  inscribe  their  names 
beside  those  accomplished  persons.  Gertrude  Moller 
was  learned  in  the  languages,  and  Sibylla  Schwarz  in 
poetry.  Even  Eist,  who  excluded  women  from  his 
literary  society,  corresponded  with  the  poetess  Maria 
Commer. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  honorary  poetic  orders, 
and  women  were  not  excluded  from  these,  especially 
from  those  established  by  Zesen.  He  was  the  patron 
and  encourager  of  female  genius  and  enterprise ;  his 
pen  was  dedicated  to  the  service  of  the  sex,  and  his 
praises  were  reciprocated  by  the  grateful  fair.  In  his 
"  Lustinne"  he  sings  of  the  lady  poets  of  his  day. 

The  female  artists  of  that  time  seemed,  indeed,  to 
lack  such  generous  appreciation ;  and  it  may  be  that 
the  enthusiastic  eulogies  lavished  by  poets  on  each 
other  had  a  selfish  aim.  Yet  the  period  was  not  with- 
out a  goodly  number  of  women  who  cultivated  art,  and 
it  is  not  improbable  that  the  success  of  the  poetesses 
had  some  effect  in  stimulating  their  zeal.  The  example 
of  the  illustrious  Schurmann,  who  wore  the  double 
wreath  of  both  branches  of  study,  was  before  their 
eyes;  and  the  Dutch  school  had  much  influence  in 
forming  tastes  in  Germany. 

The  love  of  exercising  creative  power  naturally  de- 
veloped itself  in  various  ways.  Nuremberg,  the  seat 
of  the  Pegnitzschafer  order  of  bards ;  Hamburg,  the 
residence  of  the  chivalrous  Zesen;  Saxony,  where 
flourished  many  fair  devotees  to  literature — were  not 
abandoned  by  the  spirit  of  art.  In  the  first-mentioned 
city  we  hear  of  two  paintresses  descended  from  fami- 
lies celebrated  for  artistic  excellence :  Susannah  Maria 
von  Sandrart,  who  also  did  etching  in  copper;  and 
Esther  Juvenel,  who  drew  plans  for  architecture.  To 


WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

these  may  be  added  the  name  of  Barbara  Helena 
Lange,  who  earned  celebrity  by  engraving  on  copper, 
and  carving  figures  in  ivory  and  alabaster.  She  was 
admitted  to  the  Pegnitz  order,  on  account  of  her  po- 
etical talent,  in  1679,  her  poetical  name  being  entered 
as  Erone.  In  1686  she  married  one  Kopsch,  and 
with  him  removed  to  Berlin,  and  afterward  to  Amster- 
dam. 

The  names  of  Maria  Clara  Eimart  and  Magdalena 
Fiirst  may  here  be  mentioned  as  flower-painters ;  that 
of  Helen  Preisler  as  an  engraver  on  copper ;  and 
Joanna  Sabina  Preu  as  both  an  engraver  and  modeler 
in  wax.  All  these  obtained  no  insignificant  reputa- 
tion. 

In  Nuremberg  also  lived,  in  1684,  Anna  Maria 
Pfriindt,  born  in  Lyons.  She  modeled  portraits  in 
wax,  some  of  which  were  those  of  persons  of  high 
rank,  and,  adorned  with  costly  drapery  and  precious 
stones,  gained  a  wide-spread  reputation  for  the  artist. 

Augsburgh  was  also  rich  in  evidences  of  woman's 
artistic  taste.  Susannah  Fischer  and  Johanna  Sibylla 
Kiisel  excelled  in  painting,  while  her  younger  sisters, 
Christina  and  Magdalena  Kiisel,  with  Maria  Wieslatin, 
engraved  in  copper.  Others  surpassed  the  Nurem- 
bergers  in  fine  carving. 

In  Regensburgh  lived  Anna  Catharina  Fischer,  a 
flower  and  portrait  painter;  in  Munich,  Isabella  del 
Pozzo  was  appointed  court  painter  by  the  Electress 
Adelaide,  and  the  miniature-painter  Maria  Rieger  was 
employed  very  frequently  by  princely  personages. 
Placida  Lamme  distinguished  herself  about  the  same 
time  by  painting  miniatures  and  carving  pictures, 
with  which  she  occupied  her  time  in  the  Bavarian 
cloister  of  Hohenwart. 


PRINCESS  HOLLANDISTA.  115 

In  Hamburg,  Mariana  Yan  der  Stoop  and  Diana 
Glauber  were  painters  by  profession,  and  in  Saxony 
we  find  a  skillful  portrait-painter  in  Margaretta  Ras- 
trum,  who  pursued  her  art  in  Leipzig.  The  above- 
mentioned  Anna  Catharina  Fischer  lived  a  long  time 
in  Halle,  with  her  husband,  a  painter  named  Block. 
Toward  the  end  of  this  century  we  hear  of  Madame 
Eavemann,  who  executed  a  beautiful  medal — an  ex- 
quisite specimen  of  cutting — for  Augustus  the  Second. 

THE  PRINCESS  HOLLANDINA. 

Casting  a  glance  over  western  Germany,  we  find 
the  artistic  poverty  of  the  land  redeemed  by  a  princess 
who  loved  the  liberal  arts — Louise  Hollandina,  of  the 
Pfalz.  She  was  the  daughter  of  the  unhappy  Fried- 
rich  V.,  and  the  sister  of  the  Princess  Elizabeth,  whose 
chief  celebrity  arose  from  her  veneration  for  the  phi- 
losopher Descartes ;  also  of  the  Prince  Ruprecht,  noted 
in  art  history  for  his  drawings  and  his  leaves  in  the 
black  art.  Hollandina,  with  her  sister  Sophia,  re- 
ceived instruction  in  painting  from  the  famous  Gerard 
Honthorst,  and  painted  large  historical  pictures  in  the 
style  of  that  master,  of  which  at  the  present  time  very 
little  is  known.  Two  of  Hollandina's  paintings  were 
added  to  the  collection  of  her  uncle,  King  Charles — 
one  representing  Tobias  and  the  Angel ;  the  other,  a 
falconer.  An  altar-piece  by  her  hand  adorns  a  church 
in  Paris.  Lovelace,  in  his  poetry,  speaks  highly  of 
the  abilities  of  this  princess. 

Her  family  originated  from  the  same  place  that  gave 
birth  to  Anna  Maria  Schurmann — the  city  of  Cologne 
—where  that  famed  artist  obtained  her  early  educa- 
tion. 

We  must  not  omit  to  mention  Frankfort-on-the- 


116  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Main,  where,  in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  centu- 
ry, lived  one  of  the  most  celebrated  women  of  whom 
Germany  then  could  boast.  This  was 

MARIA  SIBYLLA  MERIAN. 

She  was  the  daughter  of  Matthew  Merian,  the  well- 
known  geographer  and  engraver,  and  born  at  Frank- 
fort-on-the-Main  in  1647.  Her  father  published  a  top- 
ographical work  in  Germany,  in  thirty-one  folio  vol- 
umes. Her  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Theodore  de 
Bry,  an  engraver  of  repute. 

A  remarkable  circumstance,  and  one  contrary  to  the 
usual  experience  of  extraordinary  persons,  was,  that 
Sibylla  devoted  herself  to  the  vocation  of  the  artist  in 
opposition  to  her  mother's  wishes  and  in  the  face  of 
great  difficulties.  In  this  respect  she  differed  from 
most  other  women  artists ;  for  they,  as  a  rule,  were 
led  to  the  study  by  parental  example  or  domestic 
training. 

From  the  early  childhood  of  this  singular  girl  she 
manifested  a  persevering  spirit  of  research  in  natural 
history,  with  a  fondness  for  examining  specimens  of 
vegetable  and  animal  life.  It  is  possible  that  this  nat- 
ural predilection  was  owing  to  one  of  those  accidents 
that  so  often  determine  the  course  and  bent  of  human 
intellect.  Her  mother,  shortly  before  her  birth,  it  is 
said,  took  a  fancy  to  make  a  collection  of  curious 
stones,  muscles,  and  different  sorts  of  caterpillars. 
However  this  may  be,  it  is  certain  that  the  child,  at  a 
very  early  age,  showed  the  same  taste,  and  no  mater- 
nal reproaches  or  punishment  could  keep  her  from  in- 
dulging the  strange  fancy.  She  would,  however,  con- 
ceal her  treasures.  At  last  her  step-father,  the  painter 
Jacob  Marrel,  having  persuaded  the  mother  to  con- 


MARIA  SIBYLLA   MEKIAN.  H7 

sent,  arranged  it  so  that  the  girl  took  lessons  of  the 
famous  flower-painter,  Abraham  Mignon. 

In  the  year  1665,  at  eighteen,  she  married  John 
Andrew  Graf,  a  painter  and  designer  in  architecture. 
The  marriage  was  not  a  happy  one,  but  she  lived  with 
Graf  nearly  twenty  years  in  Nuremberg,  in  a  lonely 
and  secluded  manner,  devoted  solely  to  her  art,  as  she 
herself  says  in  the  preface  to  one  of  her*  published 
works,  giving  up  intercourse  with  society,  and  beguil- 
ing her  time  by  the  examination  of  the  various  species 
of  insects,  of  which  she  made  drawings,  and  by  the 
study  of  their  transformations. 

She  painted  her  specimens  first  on  parchment,  and 
many  of  those  pictures  were  distributed  among  ama- 
teurs. Encouraged  by  them,  she  published,  in  1679, 
a  work  entitled  "  The  Wonderful  Transformations  of 
Caterpillars,"  a  quarto  volume,  with  copper  engrav- 
ings, executed  by  herself  after  her  own  drawings. 
Another  volume  appeared  in  1684. 

The  affairs  of  Graf  having  become  embarrassed,  and 
his  conduct  being  much  censured,  he  was  compelled 
to  leave  his  family  and  go  out  of  the  country.  After 
this  separation,  Sibylla  never  assumed  her  husband's 
name  in  any  of  her  publications,  but  issued  them  under 
her  maiden  name.  ,  About  1684  she  went  to  Frank- 
fort, and  prepared  for  a  journey  to  "West  Friesland 
with  her  mother  and  daughters.  There  she  became 
possessed  with  the  religious  enthusiasm  which  had 
driven  so  many  women  into  strange  doings,  and  join- 
ed the  sect  of  the  Labadists,  taking  up  her  abode  at 
the  Castle  Bosch. 

Sibylla  did  not  yield  her  energies,  however,  entirely 
to  the  dominion  of  this  kind  of  phrensy ;  her  old  hab- 
its of  study  and  research  followed  her.  Butterflies 


118  WOMEN   AKTISTS. 

and  worms  again  occupied  her  attention,  and  she  soon 
took  a  deep  interest  in  all  the  collections  of  animals 
from  the  East  and  West  Indies  which  she  discovered 
were  within  her  reach. 

Among  those  persons  whose  collections  were  most 
admired  by  her  was  Fridericus  Kuysch,  a  doctor  of 
medicine  and  professor  of  botany,  and  the  father  of 
the  Rachel*  Kuysch  already  noticed.  It  is  not  difficult 
to  believe  that  the  example  and  conversation  of  a 
woman  so  gifted  and  so  devoted  to  study  as  Madame 
Merian  had  a  decisive  influence  upon  the  character  of 
the  youthful  Eachel. 

Our  heroic  and  industrious  heroine  was  delighted  at 
the  opportunity  of  examining  such  interesting  collec- 
tions ;  for,  besides  the  pleasure  her  investigations  in 
natural  history  afforded  her,,  she  was  stimulated  by  an 
inextinguishable  desire  to  know  all  that  could  be  learn- 
ed about  that  department  of  the  animal  kingdom.  At 
length,  anxious  to  see  the  metamorphoses  and  food  of 
American  insects,  she  determined  to  undertake  that 
laborious  and  expensive  journey  to  Surinam  which  she 
accomplished  in  June,  1699.  The  States  of  Holland 
assisted  her  with  the  means  of  travel.  Her  journey 
gave  occasion  to  the  following  lines  by  a  French  poet : 

"  Sibylla  a  Surinam  va  chercher  la  nature, 
Avec  1'esprit  d'un  Sage,  et  le  cceur  d'un  Heros." 

The  place  of  her  destination  was  Dutch  Guiana,  oft- 
en called  Surinam,  from  a  river  of  that  name,  on  which 
the  capital,  Paramaribo,  is  situated.  It  is  said  that, 
one  day  during  her  residence  there,  the  Indians  brought 
Madame  Merian  a  number  of  living  lantern -flies,  which 
she  put  into  a  box ;  but  they  made  so  much  noise  at 
night,  that  she  rose  from  her  bed  and  opened  their 
prison.  The  multitude  of  fiery  flames  issuing  from 


•MAEIA  SIBYLLA  MERIAN.  119 

the  box  so  terrified  her  that  she  immediately  dropped 
it  on  the  ground.  Hence  came  marvelous  stories  of 
the  strong  light  emitted  by  that  insect. 

She  remained  in  America  nearly  two  years,  till  the 
summer  of  1701,  notwithstanding  the  unfavorable  ef- 
fect of  the  climate  on  her  health,  and  the  difficulties 
thus  encountered  in  the  prosecution  of  her  studies. 
Though  strong  of  will,  she  could  not  long  bear  up 
against  such  an  enemy,  and  was  obliged  to  return 
much  sooner  than  suited  her  inclinations. 

In  September  she  was  again  in  Holland,  where  her 
splendid  paintings,  on  parchment,  of  American  insects, 
excited  the  greatest  admiration  among  the  connois- 
seurs. They  pressed  her  to  publish  a  work  that  would 
open  a  world  of  vegetables  and  animals  hitherto  un- 
known ;  and,  in  spite  of  the  great  expense,  she  resolved 
at  last,  without  expectation  of  a  return  for  her  outlay, 
to  engrave  her  pictures  for  publication.  The  reward 
of  her  labors  was  to  be  in  the  sale  of  successive  edi- 
tions. This  work  was  entitled  "  Metamorphosis  Insec- 
torum  Surinamensium,  etc.  The  text  drawn  up  by 
Gaspar  Commelin,  from  the  MSS.  of  the  author." 

In  1771  a  collection  of  Madame  Merian's  works  was 
published  in  Paris,  translated  into  French ;  and  to  this 
day  are  to  be  seen  engravings,  nearly  of  the  size  of  the 
original,  of  the  various  paintings  made  by  this  enthu- 
siastic woman  of  objects  that  struck  her  fancy — cater- 
pillars, butterflies,  spiders,  snakes,  and  various  kinds 
of  animals  and  plants — executed  with  all  the  luxury 
of  brilliant  coloring,  and  illustrated  by  choice  poetry. 

Her  great  work  was  entitled  "  History  of  the  In- 
sects of  Europe,  drawn  from  Nature,  and  explained, 
by  Maria  Sibylla  Merian."  It  included  a  treatise  on 
the  generation  and  metamorphoses  of  insects,  and  the 


120  WOME2T  AKTISTS. 

plants  on  which  they  feed.  Her  pictures  were  not 
only  executed  with  fidelity,  but  each  insect  appeared 
in  its  first  state  with  the  most  pleasing  accompani- 
ments. With  those  metamorphosed  from  the  chrysa- 
lis or  nymph  to  the  fly  or  butterfly,  were  presented  the 
plants  and  flowers  they  loved,  all  correctly  and  taste- 
fully delineated. 

Even  after  the  appearance  of  her  work,  in  1705,  the 
persevering  artist  continued  her  studies  in  natural 
history,  in  which  she  was  joined  by  both  her  daugh- 
ters, whom  she  had  educated  to  pursuits  of  art.  Do- 
rothea, the  youngest,  had  accompanied  her  to  Surinam, 
while  the  eldest,  Joanna  Maria  Helena,  came  afterward 
with  her  husband,  a  merchant  of-  Amsterdam,  to  assist 
her  mother  in  collecting  and  painting  specimens.  It 
was  the  mother's  intention  to  publish  the  pictures 
made  by  her  daughters  in  an  appendix  to  her  own 
collected  works ;  but  her  death,  which  occurred  in 
January,  1717,  prevented  this,  and  the  daughters  af- 
terward published  the  results  of  their  labors  in  a 
separate  volume. 

This  extraordinary  woman,  whose  labors  contribu- 
ted so  much  to  the  improvement  and  embellishment 
of  the  natural  history  of  insects,  was  little  favored  by 
gifts  of  beauty  or  personal  grace.  Her  portrait  shows 
hard  and  heavy-lined  features.  A  curious  head-dress, 
made  of  folds  of  black  stuff,  rises  high  above  the  head, 
and  inclines  a  little  to  the  left.  Short,  light  curls 
appear  above  a  cambric  ruffle,  finishing  a  half-low  cor- 
sage. She  is  undoubtedly  entitled  to  a  place  among 
great  artists. 

The  history  of  Madame  Merian  rounds  off  that  of 
German  female  artists  belonging  to  the  seventeenth 
century  with  an  exhibition  of  more  than  ordinary  in- 
terest. 


DANISH   AND   ENGLISH   WOMEN.  121 

THE  DANISH  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

A  glimpse  may  here  be  had  of  the  artists  of  Den- 
mark and  England.  Anna  Crabbe  was  a  painter  by 
profession  in  Copenhagen  before  the  year  1618.  She 
painted  a  series  of  portraits  of  Danish  princes,  to  which 
she  added  a  poetical  description  of  each.  The  daugh- 
ter of  King  Christian  IY.,  Eleonora  Christina,  who  mar- 
ried the  minister  Ulefeld,  was  not  only  celebrated  for 
her  beauty  and  intellectual  gifts,  but  for  skill  in  va- 
rious branches  of  art — engraving,  modeling  in  wax, 
and  miniature-painting.  Her  daughter  Helena  Chris- 
tina possessed  like  talents. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  century,  Sophie  Hedwig, 
the  daughter  of  King  Christian  V.,  became  noted  as 
an  artist,  gaining  much  reputation  by  her  perform- 
ances in  portrait,  landscape,  and  flower  painting. 

Neither  in  Denmark  nor  in  England  was  any  spe- 
cial direction  given  to  art  by  the  national  character ; 
on  the  contrary,  in  both  these  countries,  the  prevail- 
ing taste  was  governed  by  that  of  foreign  nations — 
as  the  Dutch  and  German. 

ENGLISH  FEMALE  ARTISTS. 

In  England  there  were  not  many  women  artists, 
although  in  literature  the  sex  was  not  without  its 
share  of  laurels,  and  in  dramatic  poetry  and  prose 
romance  women  contended  for  appreciation  with  mas- 
culine writers.  The  poetess  Joanna  Weston  was  a 
great  admirer  of  Anna  Maria  Schurmann,  and  took 
her  for  a  model;  but  there  were  no  painters  who 
could  be  compared  in  merit  to  the  women  who  culti- 
vated poetry. 

As  miniature-painters,  Susannah  Penelope  Gibson 
F 


122  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

may  be  mentioned  ;  also  Penelope  Cleyn.  The  latter 
was  the  daughter  of  a  German  painter,  and  her  sisters 
Magdalen  and  Sarah  were  also  devoted  to  the  art. 
They  painted  the  portrait  of  Eichard  Cromwell's 
daughter. 

Mary  More  obtained  some  distinction  as  a  portrait- 
painter.  It  was  in  England  that  the  Princess  Hol- 
landina,  before  mentioned,  took  lessons  in  painting, 
with  her  sister  Sophie,  from  Gerard  Honthorst. 

In  the  noble  art  of  etching  Anna  and  Susannah 
Lister  were  regarded  as  having  much  skill ;  they 
illustrated  a  work  on  natural  history  by  their  father, 
in  the  manner  of  Machine  Merian,  by  their  artistic 
efforts. 

A  lady  connoisseur  and  engraver  of  much  taste  was 
the  Countess  of  Carlisle.  She  perhaps  set  the  fashion 
afterward  followed  by  so  many  fair  dilettanti,  who 
exercised  so  much  influence  in  England  during  the 
succeeding  century. 

Susan  Penelope  Rose,  according  to  Lord  Orford, 
was  the  daughter  of  Eichard  Gibson  the  Dwarf.  She 
married  a  jeweler,  and  became  noted  for  painting 
portraits  in  water  colors  with  great  freedom.  Her 
miniatures  were  larger  than  usual.  She  died  at  forty- 
eight  in  1700. 

A  contemporary  of  Yandyck  was  Mrs.  Anna  Car- 
lisle, who  died  about  1680.  She  was  celebrated  for 
her  copies  of  the  Italian  masters.  Charles  I.  esteemed 
her  highly.  She  once  shared  with  Yandyck  a  present 
from  their  royal  patron,  of  ultramarine ;  it  is  said  to 
have  cost  the  king  five  hundred  pounds.  This  renders 
it  probable  that  she  painted  in  oil ;  for  the  quantity 
was  too  large  for  use  in  miniatures. 

One  of  her  works  represents  herself  teaching  a  lady 


MARY  BE  ALE.  123 

to  paint.  This  artist  must  not  be  confounded  with 
the  Countess  of  Carlisle,  who  was  distinguished  for 
her  beautiful  engravings  of  the  works  of  Salvator 
Eosa,  Guido,  etc. 

MARY  BEALE, 

the  daughter  of  Mr.  Craddock,  a  clergyman,  was 
born  at  Suffolk  about  1632.  She  received  some  in- 
struction from  Walker,  but  was  a  favorite  pupil  of 
Sir  Peter  Lely.  She  painted  in  oil,  water-colors,  and 
crayons.  She  acquired  much  of  the  Italian  style  by 
copying  old  pictures  from  Lely's  and  the  royal  col- 
lection. She  copied  some  of  the  portraits  of  Yandyck. 
Her  works  were  remarkable  for  vigor  of  drawing  and 
fresh  coloring,  with  great  purity  and  sweetness.  The 
artist  was  an  estimable  and  amiable  woman;  was 
highly  respected,  and  mingled  in  the  society  of  the 
noble  and  the  learned.  Her  pencil  was  employed  by 
many  personages  of  distinction.  Her  husband  was  an 
inferior  painter. 

It  was  rumored  that  Sir  Peter  Lely  was  romantically 
attached  to  his  fair  pupil ;  but  his  love  could  not  have 
met  with  return,  for  he  is  known  to  have  been  re- 
served in  communicating  to  her  the  resources  of  his 
pencil.  He  refused  to  intrust  to  her  one  of  the  im- 
portant secrets  of  his  art. 

Several  poems  in  praise  of  Mrs.  Beale  were  pub- 
lished ;  one  in  particular  is  remembered,  by  Dr.  Wood- 
fall,  in  which  she  is  celebrated  under  the  name  of 
"  Belasia."  Her  husband,  Charles  Beale,  had  the  cu- 
rious practice  of  noting  in  small  almanac  pocket-books 
almost  daily  accounts  of  whatever  related  to  his  wife, 
her  pictures,  or  himself.  He  practiced  chemistry  for 
the  preparation  of  colors.  He  bequeathed  thirty  of 


124  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

the  almanacs,  filled  with  his  notes,  and  records  of  the 
praises  lavished  on  his  wife's  pictures,  to  a  colorman 
named  Carter. 

Walpole  says  Mrs.  Beale's  portraits  were  numerous. 
She  painted  one  of  Otway,  the  poet.  The  Archbishop 
Tillotson  was  her  patron,  and  many  of  the  clergy  sat 
to  her.  The  archbishop's  portrait  is  the  first  of  an  ec- 
clesiastic who,  quitting  the  coif  of  silk,  is  delineated  in 
a  brown  wig. 

Some  have  said  that  she  persuaded  her  friends  to 
sit  to  Lely,  that  she  might  learn  his  method  of  color- 
ing. There  is  no  doubt  that  she  rose  to  the  first  rank 
in  her  profession.  One  of  her  sons  became  a  painter. 
She  died  at  Pall  Mall  in  1697,  aged  sixty-five. 

ANNE  KILLEGREW— 

"A  grace  for  beauty,  and  a  muse  for  wit,"  as  writes 
one  of  her  admirers — was  the  daughter  of  Henry  Kil- 
legrew,  descended  of  a  family  remarkable  for  loyalty, 
accomplishments,  and  talent.  She  proved  one  of  its 
brightest  ornaments.  She  was  born  in  London,  and 
at  a  very  early  age  discovered  a  remarkable  genius. 
She  became  celebrated  both  in  painting  and  poetry. 
One  of  her  portraits  was  of  the  Duke  of  York,  after- 
ward James  II. ;  others,  of  Mary  of  Modena  and  the 
Duchess  of  York,  to  whom  she  was  maid  of  honor. 
These  pieces  were  highly  praised  by  Dryden.  She 
produced,  also,  several  history -pieces,  and  pictures  of 
still  life.  Becket  did  her  miniature  in  mezzotint,  aft- 
er her  own  painting ;  it  was  prefixed  to  the  published 
edition  of  her  poems.  The  painting  was  in  the  style 
of  Sir  Peter  Lely,  which  she  imitated  with  great  suc- 
cess. Her  portrait,  taken  by  Lely,  has  a  pleasing  ex- 
pression, though  the  air  is  slightly  prim.  The  dress  is 


ANNE   KILLEGREW.  125 

low-necked,  with  beads,  and  a  mantle  is  fastened  at  the 
breast  with  a  brooch.  Curls  cluster  round  the  face ; 
the  back  hair  is  loose  and  flowing. 

Though  called  "  mistress,"  after  the  fashion  of  the 
time,  Anne  was  never  married.  She  was  a  woman  of 
unblemished  character  and  exemplary  piety.  Death 
cut  short  her  promising  career,  by  small-pox,  in  1685 — 
as  Wood  says,  "to  the  unspeakable  reluctancy  of  her 
relations" — when  she  was  but  twenty-five  years  of 
age.  She  was  buried  in  Savoy  Chapel,  where  a  mon- 
ument is  fixed  in  the  wall,  bearing  a  Latin  inscription 
by  her  father,  setting  forth  her  accomplishments,  vir- 
tue, and  piety. 

Dry  den's  ode  to  her  memory  was  called  by  Dr.  John- 
son "the  noblest  our  language  has  produced."  An- 
other critic  terms  it  "  a  harmonious  hyperbole,  com- 
posed of  the  fall  of  Adam,  Arethusa,  Yestal  virgins, 
Diana,  Cupid,  Noah's  ark,  the  Pleiades,  the  fall  of  Je- 
hoshaphat,  and  the  last  assizes."  After  lauding  her 
poetic  excellence,  Dryden  says : 

"H,er  pencil  drew  whate'er  her  soul  designed; 
And  oft  the  happy  draft  surpassed  the  image  of  her  mind." 

And  of  her  portrait  of  James  II. : 

"For,  not  content  to  express  his  outward  part, 
Her  hand  called  out  the  image  of  his  heart ; 
His  warlike  mind — his  soul  devoid  of  fear — 
His  high-designing  thoughts  were  figured  there." 

Notwithstanding  such  flattery,  Anthony  Wood  says, 
"  There  is  nothing  spoken  of  her  which  she  was  not 
equal  to,  if  not  superior ;"  and  adds,  "  If  there  had  not 
been  more  true  history  in  her  praises  than  compliment, 
her  father  never  would  Lave  suffered  them  to  pass  the 
press." 

Her  poems  appeared  after  her  death  in  a  thin  quarto 


126  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

Volume,  prefaced  by  the  ode  and  the  Latin  epitaph. 
Among  her  history-pieces  were  "  St.  John  in  the  Wil- 
derness," "  Herodias  with  the  Head  of  John  the  Bap- 
tist," and  "  Two  of  Diana's  Nymphs."  The  melodious 
eulogizer  of  her  graces  and  gifts  remarks  of  the  queen's 
portrait : 

"  Our  phoenix  queen  was  portrayed  too,  so  bright, 
Beauty  alone  could  beauty  take  so  right ; 
Before,  a  train  of  heroines  was  seen, 
In  beauty  foremost,  as  in  rank  a  queen." 

THE  AKTIST  IN  SILK. 

Mademoiselle  Kosee,  born  in  Ley  den  in  1632,  de- 
serves a  place  among  eminent  artists  for  the  singulari- 
ty of  her  talents.  Instead  of  using  colors,  with  oil  or 
gum,  she  used  silk  for  the  delicate  shading.  It  can 
hardly  be  understood  how  she  managed  to  apply  the 
fibres,  and  to  imitate  the  flesh-tints,  blending  and  mel- 
lowing them  so  admirably.  She  thus  painted  por- 
traits, as  well  as  landscapes  and  architecture.  Michel 
Carre,  who  saw  one  of  her  portraits,  says,  "It  can 
scarcely  be  believed  it  is  not  done  by  the  pencil." 
One  of  her  pieces  brought  five  hundred  florins.  It 
represented  the  decayed  trunk  of  a  tree,  covered  with 
moss  and  leaves.  On  the  top  a  bird  has  made  her 
nest.  The  shading  and  the  sky  in  the  distance  left 
nothing  to  be  desired  for  coloring  and  truthful  effect. 
The  Grand -Duke  of  Tuscany  purchased  one  of  her 
finest  pieces,  which  is  yet  preserved  among  the  curi- 
osities of  his  collection.  She  was  never  married,  and 
died  at  the  age  of  fifty,  in  1682. 

THE  ARTIST  OF  THE  SCISSORS. 

Joanna  Koerten  Block  is  regarded  by  the  Dutch  as 
one  of  their  most  remarkable  female  artists.  She  was 


JOANNA  KOEBTEN  BLOCK.  127 

born  in  Amsterdam  in  1650,  and  manifested  a  taste 
for  the  fine  arts  in  her  childhood.  She  learned  music 
and  embroidery,  and  how  to  model  fruits  and  figures ; 
she  also  understood  coloring,  and  engraved  with  a 
diamond  on  crystal  and  glass  with  surprising  delicacy. 
She  also  painted  in  oil  and  water  colors  in  a  novel 
manner.  Possessing  a  rare  art  in  blending  colors,  she 
copied  pictures  so  wonderfully  that  they  could  hardly 
be  distinguished  from  the  originals.  This  faculty  of 
imitation  she  carried  to  such  perfection,  that  it  was 
believed  among  her  contemporaries  that,  had  she  de- 
voted herself  exclusively  to  this  kind  of  work,  she 
would  have  equaled  the  great  masters.  She  gave  up, 
however,  after  a  while,  the  cultivation  of  this  singular 
talent  for  the  development  of  another  still  more  extra- 
ordinary, for  which  she  has  obtained  a  place  among 
the  great  artists  of  her  country. 

All  that  the  engraver  accomplishes  with  the  burin, 
she  was  able  to  do  with  the  scissors.  Her  cuttings 
were  indeed  astonishing.  Country  scenes,  marine 
views,  animals,  flowers,  with  portraits  of  perfect  resem- 
blance, she  executed  in  a  marvelous  manner.  This 
novel  style  of  making  pictures  out  of  white  paper 
created  not  a  little  sensation,  and  ere  long  the  matter 
became  spread  abroad  widely,  and  excited  the  curiosi- 
ty of  all  the  courts  of  Europe.  Even  artists  could  not 
help  admiring  her  skill  in  this  strange  art,  and  not 
one  came  to  Amsterdam  without  paying  her  a  visit. 

The  Czar  Peter  the  Great,  princes  of  royal  blood, 
and  nobles  of  the  highest  rank  paid  their  respects  to 
the  simple  Dutch  maiden,  and  examined  her  works 
with  pleased  curiosity.  The  Elector  Palatine  offered 
a  thousand  florins  for  three  small  pieces  cut  by  her, 
but  the  offer  was  declined  as  not  liberal  enough. 


128  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

The  Empress  of  Germany  ordered  a  piece  executed 
as  a  trophy  of  the  arms  of  the  Emperor  Leopold  I. 
The  design  showed  the  crown  and  imperial  arms  up- 
held by  eagles,  and  surrounded  by  laurel  wreaths, 
garlands  of  flowers,  and  appropriate  ornaments.  This 
was  executed  in  a  wonderful  manner,  and  for  it  the 
fair  artist  received  four  thousand  florins. 

The  portrait  of  the  emperor,  cut  by  Joanna,  is  pre- 
served in  his  imperial  majesty's  cabinet  at  Vienna. 
Queen  Mary  of  England,  and  other  royal  personages, 
wished  to  decorate  their  cabinets  with  the  works  of 
this  artist.  She  cut  many  portraits,  with  which  the 
sitters  were  pleased  and  astonished.  The  Latin,  Ger- 
man, and  Dutch  verses  composed  in  her  honor  would 
fill  a  volume.  She  had  in  her  working-room  a  volume 
in  which  were  registered  the  names  of  her  illustrious 
visitors,  the  princes  and  princesses  and  other  great 
personages  writing  their  own.  It  is  the  same  curious 
register  in  which  Nicholas  Yerkslie  saw  the  portraits 
of  illustrious  persons,  appended  each  to  the  proper 
signature.  This  interesting  addition  is  said  to  have 
been  made  by  Adrien  Block,  the  artist's  husband. 
He  published  a  series  of  vignettes  from  her  pieces. 

Joanna  died  in  1715,  at  the  age  of  sixty -five.  Her 
taste  and  design  were  marked  by  correctness  and  deli- 
cacy, and  she  was  original  and  unique  in  the  style  of 
work  to  which  she  devoted  herself.  When  her  pieces 
were  put  over  black  paper,  the  effect  was  that  of  an 
engraving  or  pen-drawing.  Neatness,  clearness,  and 
decision  were  her  prominent  characteristics. 

Her  portrait,  coarsely  engraved,  is  published  by 
Descampes.  She  had  a  noble  style  of  face,  with 
strongly  marked  features.  The  hair  is  dressed  in  a 
point  in  front ;  the  neckerchief  and  dress  are  worn  in 
antiquated  style. 


ANNA  WASSER.  129 

Among  the  distinguished  artists  of  the  seventeenth 
century  we  must  not  omit 

ANNA  WASSER. 

She  was  born  in  Zurich,  Switzerland,  in  1676,  and 
is  esteemed  by  the  Swiss  as  one  of  their  most  eminent 
painters.  Her  father  was  Rudolph  Wasser,  a  member 
of  the  Grand  Council  of  Zurich,  and  artist  of  the  foun- 
dation of  the  Cathedral.  She  very  early  evinced  a  re- 
markable faculty  for  learning  languages,  and  at  the  age 
of  twelve  was  familiar  with  Latin  and  French,  and  ac- 
quainted with  the  general  literature  of  those  tongues. 
Her  rapid  progress  in  belles-lettres  astonished  every 
body,  and  gave  the  promise  of  wonderful  attainments; 
but  the  bent  of  her  genius  was  for  art.  She  took  les- 
sons of  the  painter  Joseph  Werner,  and  had  no  sooner 
learned  to  handle  a  pencil,  than  she  could  think  of 
nothing  else.  When  thirteen  years  old  she  made  a 
copy  of  Werner's  "  Flora"  in  Bern,  which  convinced 
all  her  friends  that  she  was  destined  by  nature  for 
an  artist.  The  painter  himself  praised  her  correct  de- 
sign and  perfect  imitation  of  his  coloring,  and  advised 
her  father  to  send  her  to  Bern  to  study.  She  spent 
three  years  in  the  school ;  at  first  employing  herself 
in  oil  painting,  but  finally  abandoning  that  for  minia- 
tures. By  the  time  her  education  was  completed  she 
had  reached  a  perfection  little  short  of  that  of  her 
teacher. 

Returning  to  Zurich,  she  devoted  herself  to  art  as  a 
profession.  Her  productions  were  taken  to  England, 
Holland,  and  Germany,  where  they  were  greatly  ad- 
mired, and  her  contemporaries  extolled  her  as  a  second 
Schurmann.  There  was  scarcely  a  court  in  the  Ger- 
man empire  from  which  she  had  not  commissions. 
F2 


130  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Those  of  Baden-Durlach  and  Stuttgard  disputed  which 
should  possess  the  greatest  number  of  her  works.  The 
Duke  of  "Wurtemberg,  Eberhard  Louis,  and  his  sister, 
the  Margravine  von  Durlach,  sent  her  large  portraits 
to  be  painted  in  miniature. 

"While  Anna's  fame  spread  throughout  Germany, 
her  very  success  tended  to  throw  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  her  artistic  progress.  Her  father  was  pressed 
with  the  care  of  a  large  family,  and  thought  his  inter- 
ests would  be  favored  more  by  multiplying  the  num- 
ber of  his  daughter's  works,  than  by  allowing  her  time 
to  finish  them.  He  urged  her  continually  to  new  en- 
terprises. Thus  depressed  and  tied  to  sordid  cares, 
Anna  lost  her  spirits  and  fell  into  a  melancholy  that 
threatened  to  destroy  her  health.  Happily,  at  this 
time,  the  court  of  Solms  Braunfels  made  her  favorable 
proposals  of  employment.  She  accepted  the  invita- 
tion, went  there  with  one  of  her  brothers,  and  soon 
found  she  would  be  enabled  to  indulge  her  taste  for 
elaborating  and  perfecting  her  paintings.  She  rapidly 
regained  her  cheerfulness,  and  became  the  delight  and 
admiration  of  the  circles  in  which  she  moved.  Again 
her  father's  avarice  disturbed  this  agreeable  state  of 
things.  He  sent  her  an  abrupt  summons  to  return 
home,  where  he  expected  her  to  do  more  work  for  his 
benefit.  She  obeyed  the  command,  but  on  the  jour- 
ney, made  in  such  haste,  she  got  a  severe  fall,  the  ef- 
fects of  which  terminated  her  life  in  1713,  at  the  age 
of  thirty -four. 

Fuseli  possessed  a  painting  in  oil  done  by  Anna 
Wasser  at  the  age  of  thirteen.  He  gave  her  praise 
for  correctness  of  outline,  and  for  spirit  of  coloring. 
She  appears  to  have  excelled  most  in  pastoral  and 
rural  pieces,  which  it  was  her  delight  to  paint.  Her 


ANNA  WASSER.  131 

compositions  were  marked  by  great  ingenuity,  and 
were  finished  with  exquisite  delicacy. 

Her  literary  accomplishments  procured  her  the 
friendship  of  the  most  eminent  scholars  of  her  day  in 
Germany;  such  as  "Werner,  Meyer,  Hubert,  Steller, 
etc.,  and  she  corresponded  with  many  celebrated  per- 
sons. Among  her  female  friends  was  Clara  Eimart, 
already  mentioned  among  German  artists.  Her  man- 
ners were  gentle  and  dignified,  and  her  character  was 
pure  and  blameless.  To  filial  obedience  she  would  at 
any  time  sacrifice  her  own  inclinations;  indeed  she 
often  carried  her  devotion  to  excess. 

The  portrait  given  of  her  shows  delicate  and  sharply 
defined  features.  The  hair  is  worn  in  Grecian  style, 
with  ringlets  at  the  side,  and  braids  falling  on  her 
neck.  She  appears  surrounded  with  flowers,  with 
baskets  of  fruit  beside  her. 

Maria  Theresa  van  Thielen,  and  her  two  sisters,  the 
daughters  of  an  artist  of  noble  family,  were  instructed 
by  him  in  flower-painting,  the  first  excelling  also  in 
portraits. 


132  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


CHAPTEE  X. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

General  Expansion  and  Extension  of  Art-culture. — More  Scope  given 
to  the  Tendencies  originated  in  preceding  Age. — Reminiscences  of 
past  Glories  of  Art  active  during  the  first  half  of  the  Century. — 
— The  Flemish  and  Italian  Schools  in  vogue. — Eclecticism. — In- 
fluences of  the  French  School  mingled  with  those  of  the  great  Mas- 
ters.— The  Rococo  Style. — The  Aggregate  of  Woman's  Labor  great- 
er than  ever  before. — Not  accompanied  by  greater  Depth. — Less 
Individuality  discernible.  — The  greatest  artistic  Activity  among 
Women  in  Germany. — In  France  next. — In  Italy  next. — In  other 
Countries  less. — Rapid  Growth  of  Art  in  Berlin. — In  Dresden. — 
Scholarship  and  literary  Position  of  Women  during  the  first  half 
of  the  Century. — Poets  and  their  Inspirations. — Princesses  the  Pa- 
trons of  Letters. — Nothing  new  or  striking  in  Art. — A  Revolution 
in  the  latter  half  of  the  Century. — Instruction  in  Art  a  Branch  of 
Education. — Dilettanti  of  high  Rank. — Female  Pupils  of  Painters 
of  Note. — Mengs  and  Carstens. — Carstens  the  Founder  of  modern 
German  Art. — His  Style  not  adapted  to  female  Talent. — A  lovely 
Form  standing  between  him  and  Mengs. — A  female  Stamp-cutter. 
— An  Artist  in  Wax-work. — In  Stucco-work. — In  cutting  precious 
Stones. — Barbara  Preisler. — Other  female  Artists. — Fashionable 
Taste  in  Painting. — Marianna  Hayd. — Miniaturists. — Anna  Maria 
Mengs. — Her  Works. — Miniature  and  Pastel-painting. — Flowers 
and  Landscapes  a  Passion. — Imitators  of  Rachel  Ruysch  and  Mad- 
ame Merian. — Celebrities  in  Flower-painting. — Copper-engraving. 
Lady  Artists  of  high  Rank. — Other  Devotees  to  Art. 

DURING  the  greater  part  of  the  eighteenth  century 
we  find  rather  a  general  expansion  and  extension  of 
taste  and  cultivation  in  the  arts,  than  a  concentration 
of  effort  or  a  more  rich  and  earnest  development  of 
talent.  The  period  gave  more  scope  to  the  tendencies 
that  had  been  originated  and  determined  in  a  preced- 


ECLECTICISM. — THE  KOCOCO   STYLE.  133 

ing  age.  Connoisseurs  fed  upon  reminiscences  of  the 
past  glories  of  art,  and  no  new  ideas  were  brought  to 
the  world's  notice  till  the  first  half  of  the  century  had 
rolled  away. 

The  Flemish  and  Italian  schools  were  in  vogue, 
slightly  modified,  but,  on  the  whole,  scarcely  changed 
in  any  essential  particular ;  or  a  blending  of  diverse 
styles  produced  some  artists  who  hardly  deserve  no- 
tice for  their  individual  merits.  A  spirit  of  eclecti- 
cism may,  indeed,  be  traced  in  the  productions  of  the 
best  masters  of  this  time.  The  sovereigns  in  the  do- 
main of  art  had  then  passed  away,  and  with  the  influ- 
ence they  still  exercised  -fras  mingled  that  of  the  French 
school.  The  brilliancy  and  glow  of  Titian  and  Paul 
Yeronese,  the  deep  poetic  feeling  of  Giorgione,  the 
purity  and  tenderness  of  Kaphael  and  Leonardo  da 
Yinci,  the  rugged  grandeur  of  Michael  Angelo,  the 
soft,  transparent  loveliness  of  Correggio,  the  bright 
beauty  of  Guido  and  Albano,  and  the  power  and  pas- 
sion of  the  Caravaggio  school,  disputed  the  considera- 
tion of  amateurs  with  the  light  and  lively  style,  the 
graceful  mannerism  of  a  Watteau  and  a  Bouche,  and 
something  of  the  reflective  character  of  the  German 
Kaphael  Mengs,  or  that  of  Carstens  and  of  Dietrich. 

The  finished  and  ornate  manner  of  France  especial- 
ly became  popular  over  all  the  countries  of  Europe, 
exercising  the  same  influence,  in  a  measure,  upon  art 
that  it  had  upon  literature.  Hence  originated  the 
style  that  has  been  aptly  termed  the  Eococo — wanting 
in  depth  and  warmth,  indeed,  but  having  a  certain 
completeness  of  technical  detail  productive  of  happy 
effects. 

The  fresh  life  and  earnest  vigor  that  had  marked 
the  earlier  schools  were  paralyzed  in  this,  and  we  do 


134  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

not  wonder  that  a  better  condition  followed  the  re- 
awakening of  artistic  feeling. 

*  It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  the  aggregate  amount  of 
woman's  labor  in  the  domain  of  art  was  greater  dur- 
ing the  eighteenth  century  than  in  any  preceding  one ; 
indeed,  the  number  of  female  artists  far  surpassed  the 
collected  number  of  those  known  from  earliest  history. 
So  vast  an  increase  was  not  according  to  the  propor- 
tion of  other  vocations.  It  is  also  true  that,  in  their 
efforts,  as  in  those  of  the  men  of  this  period,  the  exten- 
sion was  not  accompanied  by  greater  depth,  and  less 
individuality  was  discernible  in  the  talent  and  skill 
which  became  more  genertlly  diffused;  hence  the 
well-grounded  complaint  that  the  time  was  deficient 
in  great  men.  Nevertheless,  the  sum  of  ability  and 
knowledge  had  not  diminished,  though,  in  its  mani- 
fold branchings  and  divisions,  such  might  appear  to 
be  the  case. 

We  find,  therefore,  a  certain  uniformity  and  medi- 
ocrity among  numerous  women  artists  of  the  eight- 
eenth century,  rather  than  eminent  talent  in  special 
instances.  Yet  this  was  not  wholly  wanting,  while 
the  standard  of  excellence  was  elevated,  and  a  more 
general  spirit  of  emulation  prevailed. 

Contrary  to  the  experience  of  preceding  ages,  we 
discover  the  greatest  evidence  of  artistic  activity 
among  women  in  Germany ;  next  to  that,  in  France ; 
then  in  Italy.  The  Netherlands  and  England  may  be 
classed  together,  while  Spain  and  the  Scandinavian 
countries  are  at  the  minimum  in  this  respect.  These 
proportions  are  not  owing  to  chance,  but  correspond 
with  the  general  development  of  art  among  the  na- 
tions at  this  time. 

The  aspect  of  female  culture  also  corresponded  with 


INFLUENCE  OF  WOMEN.  135 

national  characteristics.  The  decorative  was  of  rapid 
growth  and  early  bloom  in'  Prussia ;  Berlin,  hardly 
mentioned  heretofore,  became  suddenly  alive  with 
energetic  talent  superior  to  that  which  displayed  itself 
in  any  other  German  city.  Art  sprang  into  luxuri- 
ance, too,  at  the  Electoral  court,  and  Dresden  claimed 
no  insignificant  rank  in  the  scale.  France  meanwhile 
sustained  her  old  renown ;  while  Nuremberg  and  Mu- 
nich should  not  be  slighted.  But  the  Austrian  and 
Ehine  countries  had  less  reason  to  boast ;  and  many 
cities  of  northern  Germany  were  in  like  poverty  of 
women  artists. 

During  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the 
order  of  things  differed  not  essentially  from  the  close 
of  the  seventeenth ;  in  fact,  the  same  influences  pre- 
dominated, both  in  literature  and  art.  The  Pegnitz- 
schafer  and  other  poetical  orders  were  still  in  exist- 
ence ;  the  sacred  poems  composed  by  noble  ladies  had 
their  imitations ;  female  authors  wrote  after  the  estab- 
lished fashion,  while  they  entered  on  a  wider  field, 
and  partook  of  the  new  spirit  breathed  into  German 
poetry.  Women  then  became  not  only  creators  in 
the  realm  of  fancy  and  imagination,  but  exercised  a 
controlling  influence,  by  their  relations  of  friendship 
and  intimacy  with  distinguished  literary  characters. 
Meta  arose  beside  her  Klopstock ;  Herder  sought  in- 
spiration from  his  bride ;  by  Wieland  stood  Sophie 
Delaroche ;  Schiller  was  aided  by  Caroline  Wolzogen 
and  Madame  von  Kalb;  Goethe  by  Madame  von 
Stein.  Princesses  and  the  noble  ladies  of  the  land 
gave  their  patronage  and  protection  to  letters,  and 
sought  to  gather  round  them  the  choice  spirits  of  their 
day.  This,  in  the  beginning  of  the  century,  did 
Sophie  Charlotte,  the  great  Queen  of  Prussia;  and 


136  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

Amalia  von  Weimar  tlius  aided  the  richest  develop- 
ment of  German  mind. 

Though  nothing  new  or  striking  can  be  said  to  have 
been  accomplished  in  art  by  women  during  the  first 
half  of  this  centur y,  the  latter  part  witnessed  a  revolu- 
tion in  which  they  greatly  aided  to  spread  and  deepen 
the  growth  of  new  ideas.  It  became  necessary  to  the 
complete  education  of  ladies  of  the  higher  classes,  that 
they  should  possess  some  knowledge  of  art.  Hagedorn 
mentions  the  fact  that  a  teacher  who  could  give  in- 
struction in  drawing  and  painting  could  much  more 
readily  obtain  a  situation  than  one  ignorant  of  those 
branches.  Fashion  and  custom  enjoined  not  only  a 
degree  of  knowledge,  but  also  of  skill,  on  those  who 
wished  to  be  thought  accomplished.  There  were 
many  aristocratic  dilettanti,  and  a  few  royal  ladies 
emulated  the  fame  of  the  princely  dames  of  an  older 
time  in  the  pictorial  crafts. 

Among  these  may  be  mentioned,  Anna  Amalia,  of 
Brunswick;  the  Archduchesses  Charlotte  and  Maria 
Anna,  of  Austria ;  Duchess  Sophia,  of  Coburg-Saal- 
feld ;  the  Margravine  of  Baden-Durlach ;  the  Princess 
Victoria,  of  Anhalt-Bernburg,  and  Elizabeth  Ernes- 
tine Antonia,  of  Saxe-Meiningen ;  besides  the  excel- 
lent Elizabeth  Christina,  of  Brunswick,  who  sought  to 
promote  the  restoration  of  art  and  the  advance  of 
knowledge,  for  the  love  of  Frederick,  her  royal  hus- 
band, and  who  will  ever  be  honored  as  the  ornament 
of  a  house  that  henceforward  showed  itself  ready  to 
foster  and  appreciate  the  liberal  arts. 

We  observe  here,  as  before,  that  many  painters  of 
note  had  female  pupils  or  assistants,  who  endeavored 
to  carry  out  the  ideas  they  originated.  Dietrich,  es- 
teemed one  of  the  best  masters  of  the  eclectic  school  of 


ANGELICA  KAUFFMAN.  137 

the  eighteenth  century,  had  his  enthusiasm  shared  by 
his  two  sisters ;  Tischbein,  who  cultivated  the  French 
style,  as  Dietrich  did  the  Dutch,  found  appreciative 
companions  and  co-laborers  in  his  wife  and  daughter ; 
and  there  were  other  women  who  strove  to  ennoble 
the  eclectic  system  by  greater  purity  of  tone  and  a 
more  ardent  study  of  the  antique.  Oeser  had  several 
female  pupils ;  and  two  sisters  worked  in  modest  re- 
tirement beside  the  greatest  artist  of  this  style — An- 
toine  Raphael  Mengs — having  been  taken  through  the 
same  course  of  severe  study  and  exercise  by  their  pe- 
dantic father. 

Carstens  obtained  and  brought  to  perfection  what 
Mengs  toiled  to  reach  and  realize.  The  grand  and 
comprehensive  ideas  of  Winkelmann  found  in  him  a 
harmonious  development.  Averse  to  the  reflective, 
which  formed  the  chief  characteristic  of  Mengs  and 
Oeser,  he  was  steeped  in  the  inspiration  caught  from 
the  antique  ideal,  and,  without  becoming  a  copyist  of 
any  style,  was  able  to  reproduce  the  seed  from  the 
fruitful  soil  of  his  own  endowments.  He  may  be  call- 
ed the  founder  of  modern  German  art.  His  grand, 
bold,  and  ingenious  style  did  not  particularly  com- 
mend itself  to  female  talent ;  we  do  not  find,  there- 
fore, that  he  had  any  disciples  of  the  softer  sex. 

Between  Carstens  and  Mengs,  however,  stands  a 
lovely  female  form,  in  age  midway  betwixt  them,  as 
in  the  peculiar  bent  of  her  genius ;  less  minute  and  re- 
flective than  Mengs,  less  grand  and  impressive  than 
Carstens.  It  is  Angelica  Kauffman,  the  gem  of  all 
the  women  artists  of  this  period ;  preserving  the  forms 
of  the  antique  in  her  own  delicate,  elegant,  and  charm- 
ing style;  wielding  her  power  with  such  gracious 
sweetness  that  all  who  behold  are  attracted  to  render 
the  homage  of  heartfelt  admiration. 


138  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

It  was  now  that  fresh,  vitality  was  infused  into  Ger- 
man art  "by  a  contemplation  of  the  antique,  while  the 
forms  of  humanity  and  nature  were  observed  with 
greater  freedom.  Chodowiecki  pursued  this  system, 
and  was  one  of  the  most  successful  artists  de  genre ; 
while  his  daughter,  his  pupil,  Mademoiselle  Bohren, 
and  Kobell's  scholar,  Crescentia  Schott,  were  instru- 
mental in  preparing  the  way  for  the  advance  of  paint- 
ing in  the  style  lately  introduced. 

If  we  turn  now  from  a  general  and  hasty  survey  to 
the  notice  of  particular  branches,  it  becomes  a  duty  to 
record  the  names  of  some  women  who  practiced  the 
most  difficult  and  laborious  of  the  plastic  arts.  One 
of  these  was  stamp-cutting.  One  who  first  evinced 
skill  in  this  kind  of  work  was  Eosa  Elizabeth  Schwin- 
del  of  Leipzig,  who  plied  her  art  in  Berlin  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  eighteenth  century.  A  beautiful 
medal  of  Queen  Sophia  Charlotte,  executed  by  her,  is 
preserved.  She  was  accomplished  also  in  the  cutting 
of  gems  and  in  modeling  in  wax.  In  wax- work,  Eliz- 
abeth Koss  of  Salzburg,  Dorothea  Menn  of  Cologne, 
and  Madame  Weis,  probably  of  Strasburg,  were  noted. 
As  a  stone-cutter,  Charlotte  Rebecca  Schild  of  Hanau 
worked  in  Paris.  Rosina  Pflauder,  in  Salzburg,  as- 
sisted her  husband  in  stucco-work. 

In  the  same  kind  of  work,  as  well  as  in  painting, 
Maria  Juliana  Wermuth  of  Gotha  displayed  both  in- 
dustry and  skill.  In  cutting  precious  stones  Susanna 
Maria  Dorsch  gained  some  celebrity.  She  was  born 
at  Nuremberg  in  1701,  and  married  the  painter  Solo- 
mon Graf,  taking  the  noted  painter  and  engraver,  J.  J. 
Preisler,  for  her  second  husband.  The  kind  of  work 
in  which  she  excelled  had  been  practiced  by  her  fa- 
ther and  grandfather,  and  her  application  was  remark- 


GERMAN  FEMALE  ARTISTS.  139 

able.  A  vast  number  of  gems  were  cut  by  her  hand, 
and  her  industry  was  not  without  its  reward  in  the 
gaining  of  great  reputation.  Medals  were  stamped  in 
honor  of  her. 

Her  daughters,  Anna  Felicitas  and  Maria  Anna 
Preisler,  employed  themselves  in  the  same  kind  of 
work,  without  possessing,  however,  the  variety  of  tal- 
ent or  achieving  the  brilliant  success  of  Barbara  Julia, 
the  daughter  of  Johann  Daniel  Preisler  of  Nuremberg. 
She  was  skilled  in  various  branches  of  art ;  she  could 
model  in  wax,  and  work  in  ivory  and  alabaster,  and 
added  painting  and  copper-engraving  to  the  list  of  her 
accomplishments.  She  married  a  painter  named 
Oeding,  and  died  in  Brunswick  before  1764.  Several 
women,  who  were  well  known  at  the  time  as  model- 
ers in  wax,  and  who  occupied  themselves  in  engraving 
and  stone-cutting,  might  be  named.  Amid  a  number 
of  names,  necessarily  passed  over,  may  be  added  those 
of  the  beautiful  and  variously-gifted  Mary  Anna  Treu 
of  Bamberg,  and  her  relative,  Eosalie  Treu,  the  wife 
of  the  painter  Dom,  who  afterward  went  to  take  the 
veil  in  a  convent  at  Mentz,  giving  up  her  resolution 
four  days  before  the  completion  of  her  novitiate,  to 
return  to  the  world  and  her  native  Bamberg. 

Henriette  Felicitas  Tassaert,  the  daughter  of  the  fa- 
mous painter,  painted  in  pastel,  and  engraved  in  copper 
admirably.  Mademoiselle  Nohren,  a  pupil  of  Chodo- 
wiecki  in  Berlin,  became  a  member  of  the  academy. 

It  was  natural  that  the  greater  number  of  artists  of 
this  period  should  betake  themselves  to  painting.  We 
will  glance  first  at  some  branches  of  this,  cultivated 
especially  by  women  who  did  not  achieve  any  thing 
noteworthy  in  historical  and  genre  painting.  The 
fashionable  taste  of  the  day  ran  much  upon  miniatures 


140  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

and  pastel  portraits,  and  many  women  made  them- 
selves accomplished  in  this  species  of  work,  as  well  as 
in  enamel-painting,  as  far  less  study  and  application 
were  required  than  in  the  higher  branches  of  the  art. 

Marianna  Hayd,  a  somewhat  celebrated  miniature- 
painter,  was  born  in  Dantzic  in  1688.  She  pursued 
her  profession  in  Berlin,  and,  after  her  marriage  in 
1705  to  the  painter  Werner,  in  Augsburg,  her  talents 
procured  for  her  the  honor  of  a  call  to  the  electoral 
court  of  Saxony  in  Dresden,  where  she  received  an 
appointment,  and  died  in  1753. 

Another  fair  artist  in  miniatures  was  Anna  Eosina 
Liscewska,  who  also  worked  in  Berlin,  where  she  was 
born  in  1716.  She  achieved  no  mean  success,  and  in 
1769  was  admitted  a  member  of  the  academy  in  Dres- 
den. 

The  same  city  was  adorned  by  the  elegant  labors 
of  Anna  Maria  Mengs,  whom  Dr.  Guhl  calls  "  the  most 
gifted  of  the  three  sisters,"  and  who  is  styled  by  Fio- 
rillo  "the  daughter  of  the  Eaphael  of  his  age."  She 
received  early  instruction  from  her  father;  came  to 
Dresden  in  1751,  and  devoted  herself  to  painting — 
chiefly  portraits.  She  made  her  first  journey  to  Eome 
in  1777,  and  there  married  a  copper-engraver,  Manuel 
Salvador  Carmona.  She  had  many  children,  but  con- 
tinued to  exercise  her  art  while  taking  care  of  them. 
She  produced  several  pastel  and  miniature  paintings. 
Her  chief  works,  done  for  the  King  of  Spain  and  the 
Infant  Don  Luis,  are  in  Madrid,  in  the  Academy  of 
San  Fernando,  of  which  she  was  chosen  a  member. 
She  died  in  Madrid,  1793. 

As  miniature  and  pastel  painting  are  peculiarly 
adapted  to  female  hands  by  the  delicate  and  cleanly 
handling  required,  so  flowers  and  landscapes  seem  to 


GERMAN"  FLOWER-PAINTERS.  141 

present  objects  and  scenes  of  beauty  congenial  to  the 
taste  of  the  sex.  It  can  not  be  wondered  at,  therefore, 
that  these  branches  found  several  cultivators.  Flow- 
er and  landscape  painting  became  a  passion  among  the 
German  women  who  could  be  classed  as  amateurs  or 
connoisseurs.  Hagedorn  mentions,  in  his  work  on 
painting,  as  a  distinguished  patroness  of  these,  a  Count- 
ess von  Oppendorf.  With  her  may  be  named  the 
Countess  von  Truchsetz-Waldburg,  the  Princess  Anna 
Paar,  and  others  of  no  special  note.  Maria  Dorothea 
Dietrich,  the  sister  of  the  Dresden  painter,  and  Cres- 
centia  Schott,  already  mentioned,  labored  profession- 
ally in  the  art. 

Many  were  the  fair  painters  who  imitated  the  fa- 
mous Eachel  Euysch.  The  representation  of  animals 
and  objects  in  natural  history  became  a  favorite  style, 
and  the  celebrity  of  Madame  Merian  stirred  up  many 
of  her  sex  to  emulate  her  success.  The  influence  of 
example  wrought  as  powerfully  here  as  in  every  oth- 
er matter. 

In  the  early  part  of  this  century  lived  at  Lubeck 
Catharina  Elizabeth  Heinecke,  born  in  1685,  an  en- 
thusiastic patroness  of  flower-painting,  and  the  mother 
of  "  the  famous  Lubeck  child."  "We  may  mention 
also,  amid  a  cloud  of  artists  to  be  passed  unnoticed,  a 
family  at  Nuremberg,  named  Dietsch,  that  included 
three  sisters  of  talent  and  accomplishment.  Catharina 
Treu,  born  at  Bamberg  in  1742,  obtained  celebrity  in 
the  same  line.  She  studied  in  Diisseldorf,  attracted 
thither,  doubtless,  by  the  works  of  Eachel  Euysch,  and 
received  the  appointment  of  cabinet-painter  from  Karl 
Theodore  at  Mannheim.  Thence  she  returned  to  Diis- 
seldorf to  take  the  place  of  professor  in  the  academy 
of  art  in  that  place. 


142  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

To  the  same  period  belongs  Caroline  Frederika 
Friedrlch,  the  first  female  pensionnaire  who  exercised 
her  art  as  member  of  the  academy  in  Dresden.  Ger- 
trude Metz  of  Cologne  was  also  a  disciple  of  Rachel 
Euysch  in  Diisseldorf.  Of  a  remaining  host  we  name 
only  the  sisters  Anna  and  Elizabeth  Fuessli  (Fuseli), 
who  painted  in  the  style  of  their  father,  and  copied 
from  nature  the  flowers  and  insects  of  Switzerland. 

Copper-engraving  was  at  this  period  practiced  by  a 
great  number  of  women,  and  patronized  by  many  fair 
and  princely  dilettanti.  The  Princess  of  Saxe-Mei- 
ningen,  already  named,  possessed  skill  in  this  branch. 
We  may  now  leave  all  these,  to  look  at  the  women 
who  distinguished  themselves  in  the  more  command- 
ing and  elevated  styles  of  historical  and  genre  paint- 
ing. Here  appears  more  evidence  of  individuality  in 
the  treatment  of  particular  subjects. 

Place  must  be  accorded  first  to  ladies  of  the  highest 
rank.  Anna  Amalia  of  Brunswick  was  a  noted  paint- 
er. Maria  Anna,  Archduchess  of  Austria,  and  daugh- 
ter of  the  Empress  Maria  Theresa,  occupied  her  leisure 
hours  in  genre-painting  and  etching,  and  by  her  skill 
obtained  considerable  repute.  Charlotte,  Archduchess 
of  Austria,  was  a  member  of  the  academy  at  Vienna, 
and  as  Queen  of  the  Two  Sicilies  received  instruction 
in  Naples  from  Mura.  The  Duchess  Sophia  of  Co- 
burg-Saalfeld,  besides  her  paintings,  left  some  proofs 
of  her  skill  in  engraving  toward  the  close  of  the  cen- 
tury. 

To  these  illustrious  names  may  be  added  others 
who,  like  those  royal  dames,  devoted  themselves  to 
art,  and  gained  high  appreciation  from  connoisseurs. 
Maria  Elizabeth  "Wildorfer  of  Innspruck  was  busied  in 
the  same  profession  a  long  time  in  Eome,  where  she 


GERMAN  PAINTRESSES.  143 

painted  portraits  and  church  pictures  under  the  pa- 
tronage of  a  cardinal.  Maria  Theresa  Kiedel  of  Dres- 
den, made  pensionnaire  of  the  academy  there  in  1764, 
occupied  herself  in  copying  Dutch  genre-paintings. 
Eosina,  another  sister  of  the  painter  Dietrich,  copied 
a  number  of  old  paintings.  She  married  the  painter 
Boehme,  and  lived  in  Berlin  till  1770. 

Anna  Dorothea,  one  of  the  sisters  Liszeuska,  born 
in  1722,  was  elected,  on  account  of  her  portraits  and 
historical  works,  a  member  of  the  Parisian  Academy. 
She  died  in  Berlin  as  Madame  Therbusch,  in  1782. 
Jacoba  Werbronk  worked  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
century,  and  died  in  1801  in  the  Cloister  Iseghen. 
But  none  of  the  women  artists  of  this  time  can  be 
compared  in  point  of  genius  or  celebrity  to  the  one  of 
whom  we  are  now  to  speak — one  of  the  loveliest,  most 
gifted,  and  most  estimable  of  all  the  women  who  have 
secured  immortal  fame  by  the  labors  of  the  pencil. 


1M  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


CHAPTEE  XI. 

THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Angelica  Kauffman. — Parentage  and  Birth. — Beautiful  Scenery  of 
her  native  Land. — Early  Impulse  to  Painting. — Adopts  the  Style 
of  Mengs.  —  Her  Residence  in  Como.  —  Instruction.  —  Music  or 
Painting  ?  —  Beauty  of  Nature  around  her.  —  Angelica's  Letter 
about  Como. — Escape  from  Cupid. — Removal  to  Milan. — Intro- 
duction to  great  Works  of  Art. — Studies  of  the  Lombard  Masters. 
— The  Duke  of  Modena  her  Patron. — Portrait  of  the  Duchess  of 
Carrara. — Success. — Return  to  Schwarzenberg. — Painting  in  Fres- 
co.— Homely  Life  of  the  Artist. — Milan  and  Florence. — Rome. — 
Acquaintance  with  Winkelmann. — Angelica  paints  his  Portrait. — 
Goes  to  Naples. — Studies  in  Rome. — In  Venice. — Acquaintance 
with  noble  English  Families. — In  London. — A  brilliant  Career. — 
Fuseli's  Attachment  to  her. — Appointed  Professor  in  the  Academy 
of  Aits. — Romantic  Incident  of  her  Travel  in  Switzerland. — The 
weary  Travelers.  —  The  libertine  Lord.  —  The  Maiden's  Indigna- 
tion.— Unexpected  Meeting  in  the  aristocratic  Circles  of  London. 
— The  Lord's  Suit  renewed.  —  Rejected  with  Scorn.  —  His  Rank 
and  Title  spurned. — Revenge. — The  Impostor  in  Society. — Ange- 
lica deceived  into  Marriage. — She  informs  the  Queen. — Her  Fa- 
ther's Suspicions. — Discovery  of  the  Cheat. — The  Wife's  Despair. 
— The  false  Marriage  annulled.  — The  Queen's  Sympathy. — Sto- 
ries of  Angelica's  Coquetry. — Marriage  with  Zucchi. — Return  to 
Italy. — Her  Father's  Death. — Residence  in  Rome. — Circle  of  lit- 
erary Celebrities. — Angelica's  Works.  — Criticisms. — Opinions  of 
Mengs  and  Fuseli.— The  Portraits  in  the  Pitti  Gallery.— Death  of 
Zucchi.  —  Invasion  of  Italy.  —  Angelica's  Melancholy.  - —  Journey 
and  Return. — Her  Death  and  Funeral. 

ANGELICA  KAUFFMAN. 

MARIA  ANNA  ANGELICA  KAUFFMAN  was  born  in 
Coire,  the  capital  of  the  Orisons,  in  1741.  Her  father, 
the  painter  Johann  Joseph  Kauffman,  had  been  called 
to  that  place  from  Schwartzenberg  on  the  Boden-See, 


ANGELICA  KAUFFMA^T.  145 

by  the  bishop's  appointment,  to  paint  church  pictures. 
He  married  there,  and  remained  till  1742,  before  re- 
moving to  Morbegno  in  Lombardy. 

An  only  child,  Angelica's  early  years  were  tended 
by  the  care  of  loving  parents ;  and  the  grandeur  and 
beauty  of  nature  around  her  home,  the  vine-clad  hills 
and  wild  forests  of  her  native  land,  the  blue  waters 
and  bright  scenery  she  was  accustomed  to  contemplate 
in  Italy,  impressed  her  susceptible  imagination,  and 
awakened  in  her  youthful  breast  a  quick  and  joyous 
sympathy  with  nature.  Though  not  specially  intend- 
ed by  her  father  for  the  artist's  calling,  the  early  im- 
pulse of  genius  led  her  to  painting,  and  she  was  per- 
mitted to  follow  the  bent  of  her  inclination  with  such 
direction  only  as  made  the  work  appointed  her  seem 
like  a  pleasant  recreation.  She  preferred  her  lessons, 
in  fact,  to  any  amusement.  Yery  different  was  the 
early  training  of  this  gentle  spirit  to  that  of  Kaphael 
Mengs,  compelled  to  labor  under  strict  rules ;  and 
though  Angelica  afterward  adopted  the  style  of  this 
celebrated  German  master,  hers  differed  in  the  posses- 
sion of  a  light  and  charming  grace,  which  could  only 
have  been  derived  from  her  native  endowments  and 
the  free  indulgence  of  her  tastes. 

At  the  age  of  nine  this  child  of  genius  was  much 
noticed  on  account  of  her  wonderful  pastel  pictures. 
When  her  father  left  Morbegno,  in  1752,  to  reside  in 
Como,  she  found  greater  scope  for  her  ingenious  tal- 
ent, and  better  instruction  in  that  city ;  and,  in  addi- 
tion to  her  practice  with  the  brush  and  pencil,  she  de- 
voted herself  to  studies  in  general  literature  and  in 
music.  Her  proficiency  in  the  latter  was  so  rapid, 
and  the  talent  evinced  so  decided,  besides  the  posses- 
sion of  a  voice  unusually  fine,  that  her  friends,  a  few 
G 


146  ^WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

years  afterward,  urged  that  her  life  should  be  devoted 
to  music.  She  was  herself  undecided  for  some  time 
to  which  vocation  she  should  consecrate  her  powers. 
In  one  of  her  pictures  she  represents  herself  standing, 
in  an  attitude  of  hesitation,  between  the  allegorical  fig- 
ures of  Music  and  Painting.  Her  love  for  the  latter 
gained  the  ascendency ;  and  so  great  was  her  success, 
while  yet  of  tender  age,  that  her  portrait  of  a  steward 
of  the  Bishop  of  Como  gained  her  a  number  of  profit- 
able orders. 

The  exquisite  natural  scenery  by  which  Angelica 
was  at  this  time  surrounded,  in  a  home  on  the  borders 
of  the  loveliest  lake  in  the  world,  had  a  genial  influ- 
ence on  her  feelings,  and  the  time  passed  there  was  the 
happiest  of  her  life.  She  is  said  to  have  painted  the 
portrait  of  the  Archbishop  of  Como,  at  a  very  early 
age.  At  a  later  period  she  recurs  with  pleasure  to  the 
years  passed  in  this  charming  abode. 

"You  ask,  my  friend,"  she  says,  in  one  of  her  let- 
ters, "  why  Corno  is  ever  in  my  thoughts?  It  was  at 
Como  that,  in  my  most  happy  youth,  I  tasted  the  first 
real  enjoyment  of  life.  I  saw  stately  palaces,  beauti- 
ful villas,  elegant  pleasure-boats,  a  splendid  theatre. 
I  thought  myself  in  the  midst  of  the  luxuries  of  fairy- 
land. I  saw  the  urchin,  too,  young  Love,  in  the  act 
of  letting  fly  an  arrow  pointed  at  my  breast ;  but  I,  a 
maiden  fancy  free,  avoided  the  shaft,  and  it  fell  harm- 
less. After  the  lapse  of  years,"  she  proceeds,  "the 
genius  that  presides  over  my  destiny  led  me  again  into 
this  delicious  region,  where  I  tasted  the  delights  of 
friendship  with  the  charms  of  nature,  and  listened  with 
deeper  joy  than  ever  to  the  murmur  of  waves  on  that 
unrivaled  shore.  One  day  I  was  walking  with  agree- 
able company  around  one  of  the  most  beautiful  villas 


ANGELICA  KAUFFMAN.  147 

near  the  lake.  In  the  shadow  of  a  wood  I  again  saw 
the  youthful  god  slumbering.  I  approached  him.  He 
awakened,  looked  at  me,  and,  recognizing  her  who  had 
contemned  his  power,  sprang  up  suddenly,  intent  on 
swift  revenge.  He  pursued  me,  the  arrow  sped  once 
more,  and  but  by  a  hair's  breadth  failed  to  reach  my 
heart." 

All  too  quickly,  indeed,  passed  the  two  years  of  her 
first  residence  in  Como ;  and  it  was  with  poignant  re- 
gret that  she  left  her  beloved  home,  when,  in  1754,  her 
father  went  to  settle  his  family  in  Milan. 

Even  this  dreaded  change,  however,  was  a  fortunate 
one;  for  it  seemed  to  be  appointed  that  Angelica's 
youth  should  glide  away  like  a  stream  in  the  sunshine 
of  happiness.  A  new  world  of  wonders  opened  to  her 
view  in  this  city,  where  she  saw  works  of  art  surpass- 
ing in  merit  those  she  had  yet  beheld.  She  had  cop- 
ied antique  models  in  her  drawing,  and  the  engrav- 
ings of  pictures  by  the  early  masters  which  were  among 
her  father's  treasures.  Here  she  was  first  introduced 
to  an  acquaintance  with  works  of  great  beauty  and  im- 
portance in  the  history  of  art.  Here  Leonardo  da 
Yinci  had  labored,  and  founded  a  school  in  which  are 
still  conspicuous  the  gentle  dignity,  purity,  and  eleva- 
tion that  live  in  his  creations.  The  impressions  re- 
ceived from  her  contemplation  of  the  productions  of 
the  most  famous  of  the  Lombard  masters,  and  the  care 
with  which  she  studied  them  till  her  own  style  became 
imbued  with  their  spirit,  decisively  influenced  the  pro- 
fessional career  of  the  young  artist. 

The  change  had  a  not  less  favorable  effect  upon  her 
worldly  circumstances.  Her  copies  of  some  pictures 
found  in  the  palace  of  Robert  d'Este,  Duke  of  Modena 
and  Governor  of  Milan,  induced  him  to  declare  him- 


148  WOMEN"  AKTISTS. 

self  tier  patron,  and  led  to  her  introduction  to  the 
Duchess  of  Carrara.  After  she  had  painted  by  com- 
mand the  portrait  of  that  princess,  she  received  orders 
for  a  number  of  pictures  for  other  ladies  of  rank. 

The  associations  to  which  this  success  gave  rise  con- 
tributed to  give  the  youthful  painter  that  self-posses- 
sion and  dignity  of  manner,  combined  with  a  quiet 
modesty  most  becoming  her  age  and  sex,  which  after- 
ward marked  her  deportment  in  elevated  circles  of 
society. 

Thus  the  few  years  of  Kaufman's  residence  in  this 
favored  Italian  city  were  productive  of  manifold  ad- 
vantages to  his  daughter.  The  death  of  his  wife  de- 
termined him  to  another  removal,  and  he  went  to  un- 
dertake a  great  work  in  his  native  city  of  Schwarzen- 
berg.  In  this  enterprise  Angelica  was  of  essential 
service,  having  for  the  first  time  an  opportunity  of  en- 
gaging in  an  enterprise  of  magnitude,  and  of  a  kind 
not  often  practiced  by  women.  She  painted  in  fresco 
the  figures  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  after  copper  engrav- 
ings from  Piazetta. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  time  spent  in  this  country 
at  this  period  by  the  young  artist  was  in  the  home  of 
her  father's  brother,  an  honest  "  farmer,  in  comforta- 
ble though  narrow  circumstances.  At  first,  Angelica, 
accustomed  to  the  wonders  of  art  and  the  splendor  of 
Italian  cities,  could  scarcely  bring  herself  to  endure 
this  homely  mode  of  existence.  The  rude  manners  of 
those  by  whom  she  was  surrounded — the  utter  want 
of  elegance  or  taste — displeased  and  disgusted  her. 
Gradually,  however,  as  habit  softened  down  these  first 
impressions,  the  poetic  side  of  the  picture  dawned  upon 
her  mind.  She  learned  to  love  the  homely  simplicity 
of  that  hospitable  dwelling,  with  its  gabled  front  and 


ANGELICA   KAUFFMAN.  149 

narrow  windows — the  gloom  and  solitude  of  those  dark 
pine  forests,  through  which  the  sunbeams  could  scarce- 
ly penetrate,  and  ceased  to  long  for  the  marble  palaces 
of  Milan  and  the  orange-groves  of  Como.  Besides, 
she  had  little  time  for  idle  regrets,  the  interior  deco- 
ration of  a  church  in  the  neighborhood  being  intrust- 
ed to  her  father  and  herself.  Her  success  in  an  un- 
dertaking so  difficult  excited  considerable  attention." 

After  the  completion  of  this  work,  which  won  the 
enthusiastic  appreciation  of  the  Bishop  of  Constance,  a 
season  of  disquiet  followed,  with  frequent  changes  of 
residence  and  a  crowding  of  commissions,  while  the 
artist  in  vain  longed  for  an  opportunity  to  revisit  the 
depository  of  art  treasures — Italy.  To  fulfill  this  wish, 
and  complete  her  artistic  education,  Angelica  first  re- 
turned with  her  father  to  Milan,  and  thence  went  to 
Florence,  where  she  threw  herself  with  restless  zeal 
into  the  study  of  the  great  master-pieces  in  which  that 
city  is  so  rich.  Her  performances  already  met  with 
the  appreciation  that  was  afterward  testified  by  the  ad- 
mission of  her  portraits  into  the  collection  there  made 
of  original  paintings  by  artists  of  celebrity.  Cardinal 
de  Both  called  her  to  Constance  for  his  portrait. 

Yet  even  Florence  was  regarded  by  her  only  as  a 
place  of  preparatory  study ;  the  great  goal  of  her  am- 
bition was  Rome.  Thither  she  went  in  1763,  and  her 
usual  good  fortune  followed  her.  She  went  through  a 
course  of  perspective  the  following  year.  The  immor- 
tal Winkelmann  was  then  in  the  midst  of  his  great 
work  of  breathing  new  life  into  ancient  art,  and  it  was 
his  delight  to  interpret  the  inspiration  for  others,  and 
to  promote  social  intercourse  and  a  good  understand- 
ing among  artists. 

It  was  not  long  ere  the  youthful  votary  became  ac- 


150  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

quainted  with  this  great  man.  It  was  beautiful  to  see 
the  friendship  that  subsisted  between  this  girl  of  eight- 
een, in  the  fresh  bloom  of  life,  and  the  experienced 
man  of  sixty,  who  had  spent  so  many  years  of  labor 
in  his  profession :  she  brilliant  and  ardent,  full  of  hope 
and  enthusiasm — his  brow  furrowed  with  study  and 
reflection ;  both  inspired  by  the  same  spirit ;  both  hav- 
ing felt  the  same  ardent  desire  to  visit  the  Eternal 
City. 

Angelica  found  both  pleasure  and  profit  in  Wink- 
elmann's  society,  always  in  the  company  of  her  friend, 
the  wife  of  Eaphael  Mengs.  A  portrait  of  him,  paint- 
ed by  her  at  this  time,  and  afterward  engraved  by  her, 
amply  proved,  by  its  excellent  likeness,  vivid  color- 
ing, and  vigorous  touch,  and,  above  all,  by  its  spirit- 
ual expression,  how  thoroughly  she  had  comprehend- 
ed the  spirit  of  the  greatest  disciples  of  art.  Winkel- 
mann  announced  to  his  friends,  not  without  evident 
satisfaction,  that  his  portrait  had  been  painted  "  by  a 
young  and  beautiful  woman." 

Ere  long,  a  command  to  copy  some  paintings  in  the 
royal  gallery  at  Naples  called  her  to  that  city,  so  fa- 
vored by  the  beauty  of  its  situation  and  the  charm  of 
its  climate.  Here  she  gained  new  ideas  in  the  contem- 
plation of  numerous  master-pieces  of  old  time,  as  well 
as  a  rich  reward  for  her  labors  in  executing  orders 
from  many  persons  of  rank.  Her  abode  in  that  soft, 
luxurious  clime,  surrounded  by  nature's  loveliness,  did 
not,  however,  enervate  her  character,  nor  impair  the 
freshness  and  naivete  of  her  style. 

In  1764  we  find  her  again  in  Eome.  Here  she  pass- 
ed a  year  in  the  prosecution  of  her  studies,  including 
architecture  and  perspective,  continuing  her  friendship 
with  Winkelmann.  Her  observations  of  Italian  art 


ANGELICA  KAUFFMAN.  151 

were  completed  by  studies  of  the  works  of  the  Caracci 
in  Bologna,  and  Titian,  Tintoretto,  and  Paul  Veronese 
in  Venice.  In  the  last-mentioned  city  Angelica  made 
the  acquaintance  of  an  English  lady — the  accomplish- 
ed Lady  Wentworth,  wife  of  the  British  resident — who 
afterward  took  her  to  London. 

During  her  stay  in  Naples  she  had  been  received 
into  relations  of  intimacy  with  several  noble  English 
families,  and  had  taken  their  orders  for  paintings.  It 
was  thought  that  in  London  a  more  distinguished  and 
more  lucrative  success  would  be  commanded  than  she 
could  hope  for  in  a  country  so  rich  in  artistic  achieve- 
ments as  Italy.  This  was  in  truth  the  case ;  and  after 
Angelica  had  passed  through  Paris,  availing  herself 
of  its  advantages,  to  London,  she  found  open  to  her  a 
career  of  brilliant  success,  productive  of  much  pecun- 
iary gain.  Her  talents  and  winning  manners  raised 
her  up  patrons  and  friends  among  the  aristocracy. 
Persons  attached  to  the  court  engaged  her  professional 
services ;  and  the  most  renowned  painter  in  England, 
Sir  Joshua  Eeynolds,  was  of  the  circle  of  her  friends. 
It  is  said  he  offered  frer  his  hand,  and  I  have  been 
told  by  Mr.  Eobert  Balmanno,  who  knew  Fuseli  per- 
sonally, that  he  was  one  of  her  suitors.  She  was  num- 
bered among  the  painters  of  the  Eoyal  Society,  and 
received  the  rare  honor,  for  a  woman,  of  an  appoint- 
ment to  a  professorship  in  the  Academy  of  Arts  in 
London,  being,  meanwhile,  universally  acknowledged 
to  occupy  a  brilliant  position  in  the  best  circles  of 
fashionable  society. 

A  writer  in  the  "Westminster  Keview  gives  a  roman- 
tic account  of  an  incident  that  led  to  the  greatest  mis- 
fortune of  Angelica's  life : 

"  It  was  in  early  girlhood,  while  traveling  with  her 


152  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

father  through  Switzerland  to  their  native  land,  that 
she  first  beheld  the  man  who  was  to  exercise  so  fatal 
an  influence  on  her  destiny.  Angelica  was  then  only 
in  her  seventeenth  year,  her  dawning  talents  had  al- 
ready attracted  considerable  attention,  but  as  both  fa- 
ther and  daughter  were  poor,  they  were  compelled  to 
travel  on  foot,  resting  at  night  at  the  little  inns  by  the 
wayside.  One  evening,  when,  wearied  with  the  long 
day's  journey,  they  entered  a  humble  house  of  enter- 
tainment, they  were  informed  by  the  landlord  that  they 
must  go  farther,  for  a  couple  of  "grand  seigneurs," 
just  arrived,  had  engaged  all  the  rooms  for  themselves 
and  their  suite.  The  weary  travelers  insisted  on  their 
right  to  remain,  and  the  debate  was  growing  warm, 
when  one  of  the  gentlemen  for  whose  accommodation 
they  were  rejected  made  his  appearance,  and  with 
great  politeness  begged  them  to  enter  the  dining-room 
and  share  their  repast.  The  good  Kauffman,  whose 
frank,  confiding  nature  was  always  a  stranger  to  sus- 
picion, at  once  consented,  despite  the  whispered  en- 
treaties of  his  daughter,  who,  with  the  intuitive  per- 
ception of  her  sex,  had  discerned  something  offensive 
beneath  the  polished  courtesy  of  their  inviter.  She 
was  not  mistaken ;  at  the  table  Lord  E soon  for- 
got the  respect  due  to  youth  and  innocence,  and  at- 
tempted some  liberty.  Angelica  indignantly  repulsed 
it,  and  on  its  repetition,  rising  hastily  from  the  table, 
drew  her  father  with  her,  and  instantly  left  the  house." 
Years  afterward,  while  Angelica  was  living  in  En- 
gland— "  welcomed  with  enthusiasm,  sought  by  the  no- 
blest and  most  gifted  in  the  land,  when  all  seemed  to 
smile  upon  her  path,  in  a  fatal  hour  she  again  lighted 
on  the  man  whose  undisguised  libertinism  had  so  deep- 
ly wounded  her  modesty  ten  years  before.  It  was  in 


ANGELICA  KAUFFMAST.  153 

the  midst  of  a  brilliant  circle,  where  all  the  beaux  es- 
prits  of  London  were  assembled,  that  they  again  met. 

Lord  E had  long  since  lost  every  trace  of  her,  and 

great  was  his  amazement  to  recognize  in  the  elegant 
woman  and  celebrated  artist  the  humble  little  pedes- 
trian of  the  Swiss  mountains.  If  he  had  thought  her 
charming  then,  how  much  more  lovely  did  she  seem 
to  him  now ;  his  heart  and  fancy  were  alike  inflamed, 
and  he  resolved  that  this  time,  at  least,  she  should  not 
escape  him.  Feigned  repentance  for  the  past,  assur- 
ances of  unselfish  devotion  which  sought  for  nothing 
in  return  save  the  friendship  and  esteem  of  its  object, 
flattery,  insinuation,  all  were  employed.  Angelica, 
trusting  and  guileless,  believed  him ;  nor  was  it  till, 
fancying  himself  secure  of  triumph,  he  threw  off  the 
mask,  that  she  even  suspected  his  baseness.  Equally 
shocked  and  indignant,  she  would  no  longer  admit 
him  to  her  society. 

"This  only  stimulated  his  passions.  Perhaps  he 
thought  it  a  pretext  to  lure  him  to  more  honorable  of- 
fers ;  at  all  events,  despairing  of  winning  the  prize  by 
any  other  means,  he  laid  his  rank  and  title  at  her  feet. 
But  Angelica  was  no  Pamela  to  receive  with  humble 
gratitude  the  hand  of  him  who  had  insulted  her  vir- 
tue. Her  mild  but  resolute  refusal  stung  him  to  mad- 
ness. If  what  some  of  her  biographers  assert  be  true, 
he  forced  himself  into  her  presence,  and  sought  by  vio- 
lence that  which  no  entreaties  could  win ;  but  here, 
too,  he  failed.  The  rumor  of  his  worthless  conduct 
got  abroad,  and  he  found  it  m©st  convenient  to  leave 
England  for  a  time,  vowing  revenge.  The  subsequent 
portion  of  the  story  is  well  known." 

Others  say  it  was  an  English  painter,  who,  out  of 
jealousy  of  the  talents  of  Angelica,  instigated  to  his 
G2 


154  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

base  plot  the  man  who  deceived  her.  Be  that  as  it 
may,  she  was  undoubtedly  the  victim  of  a  conspiracy 
arranged  with  no  less  malignity  than  art.  It  was  a 
counterpart  to  the  story  of  the  Lady  of  Lyons ;  a  re- 
jected suitor  vowing  revenge,  and  using  as  his  instru- 
ment to  obtain  it  a  man  very  different  in  character 
from  the  noble  Claude. 

A  low-born  adventurer,  who  assumed  the  name  of 
a  gentleman  of  rank  and  character — that  of  his  mas- 
ter, Count  Frederic  de  Horn — played  a  conspicuous 
part  at  that  time  in  London  society,  and  was  skillful 
enough  to  deceive  those  with  whom  he  associated. 
He  approached  our  artist,  who  was  then  about  twen- 
ty-six, and  in  the  bloom  of  her  existence.  He  paid 
his  respects  as  one  who  rendered  the  deepest  homage 
to  her  genius ;  then  he  passed  into  the  character  of  an 
unassuming  and  sympathizing  friend.  Finally,  he  ap- 
pealed to  her  romantic  generosity  by  representing 
himself  as  threatened  with  a  terrible  misfortune,  from 
which  she  only  could  save  him  by  accepting  him  as 
her  husband.  A  sudden  and  secret  marriage  he  aver- 
red was  necessary. 

Poor  Angelica,  who  had  shunned  love  on  the  banks 
of  Como,  and  under  the  glowing  skies  of  Italy ;  and 
since  her  coming  to  London  had  rejected  many  offers 
of  the  most  advantageous  alliance,  that  she  might  re- 
main free  to  devote  herself  to  her  art,  was  caught  in 
the  fine-spun  snare,  and  yielded  to  chivalrous  pity  for 
one  she  believed  worthy  of  her  heart's  affection.  The 
marriage  was  celebrated  by  a  Catholic  priest,  without 
the  formality  of  writings,  and  without  witnesses. 

Angelica  had  received  commissions  to  paint  several 
members  of  the  royal  family  and  eminent  personages 
of  the  court,  and  her  talents  had  procured  her  the  fa- 


ANGELICA   KAUFFMAN.  155 

vorable  notice  of  the  Queen  of  England.  One  day, 
while  she  was  painting  at  Buckingham  Palace,  her 
majesty  entered  into  conversation  with  her,  and  An- 
gelica communicated  to  her  royal  friend  the  fact  of 
her  marriage.  The  queen  congratulated  her,  and  sent 
an  invitation  to  the  Count  de  Horn  to  prese'nt  himself 
at  court.  The  impostor,  however,  dared  not  appear 
so  openly,  and  he  kept  himself  very  close  at  home,  for 
he  well  knew  that  it  could  not  be  long  before  the  de- 
ception would  be  discovered. 

At  length  the  suspicions  of  Angelica's  father,  to 
whom  her  marriage  had  been  made  known,  led  him 
to  inquiries,  which  were  aided  by  friends  of  influence. 
About  this  time,  some  say,  the  real  count  returned, 
and  was  surprised  at  being  frequently  congratulated 
on  his  marriage.  Then  came  the  mortifying  discov- 
ery that  the  pretended  count  was  a  low  impostor/ 
The  queen  informed  Angelica,  and  assured  her  of  her 
sympathy. 

The  fellow  had  been  induced  to  seek  the  poor  girl's 
hand  from  motives  of  cupidity  alone,  desiring  to  pos- 
sess himself  of  the  property  she  had  acquired  by  her 
labors.  He  now  wished  to  compel  her  to  a  hasty 
flight  from  London.  Believing  herself  irrevocably 
bound  to  him,  Angelica  resolved  to  submit  to  her 
fate ;  but  her  firmness  and  strength  of  nature  enabled 
her  to  evade  compliance  with  his  requisition  that  she 
should  leave  England,  till  the  truth  was  made  known 
to  her — that  he  who  called  himself  her  husband  was 
already  married  to  another  woman  still  living.  This 
discovery  made  it  dangerous  for  the  impostor  to  re- 
main in  London,  and  he  was  compelled  to  fly  alone, 
after  submitting  unwillingly  to  the  necessity  of  restor- 
ing some  three  hundred  pounds  obtained  from  his  vic- 
tim, to  which  he  had  no  right. 


156  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

The  false  marriage  was,  of  course,  immediately  de- 
clared null  and  void. .  These  unhappy  circumstances 
in  no  way  diminished  the  interest  and  respect  mani- 
fested for  the  lady  who,  in  plucking  the  rose  of  life, 
had  been  so  severely  wounded  by  its  thorns ;  on  the 
contrary,  she  was  treated  with  more  attention  than 
ever,  and  received  several  unexceptionable  offers  of 
marriage.  But  all  were  declined ;  she  chose  to  live 
only  for  her  profession. 

One  of  Angelica's  biographers  pronounces  her 
"proof  against  flattery."  JSTollekens,  on  the  other 
hand,  accused  her  of  having  been  a  coquette  in  her 
youth.  While  at  Eome,  before  her  marriage,  he  said 
she  was  extremely  fond  of  personal  admiration.  * '  One 
evening  she  took  her  station  in  one  of  the  most  con- 
spicuous boxes  of  the  theatre,  accompanied  by  two 
artists,  both  of  whom,  as  well  as  many  others,  were 
desperately  enamored  of  her.  She  had  her  place  be- 
tween her  two  adorers ;  and  while  her  arms  were  fold- 
ed before  her  in  front  of  the  box  over  which  she  lean- 
ed, she  managed  to  press  a  hand  of  both,  so  that  each 
imagined  himself  the  cavalier  of  her  choice." 

After  fifteen  years'  residence  in  England,  when  the 
physician  who  attended  her  suffering  father  advised 
return  to  Italy,  and  the  invalid  expressed  his  fear  of 
dying  and  leaving  her  unprotected,  Angelica  yielded 
to  his  entreaties,  and  bestowed  her  hand  upon  the 
painter  Antonio  Zucchi. 

This  gentleman  was  born  in  Venice  in  1728,  and 
had  worked  there  upon  historical  pieces.  He  after- 
ward took  to  landscape-painting  and  architecture,  and 
many  of  his  designs  were  published  in  learned  works 
of  the  day.  Being  induced  to  go  to  England,  he  ob- 
tained an  excellent  place,  and  won  the  warm  friend- 


ANGELICA  KAUFFMAN.  157 

ship  of  Mr.  Kauffman.  The  marriage  with  his  daugh- 
ter took  place  in  1781,  and  proved  a  most  happy  one, 
undisturbed  by  any  untoward  occurrence  till  the  death 
of  Zucchi. 

Angelica,  with  her  husband  and  her  father,  now  re- 
turned to  the  sunny  south.  Stopping  in  Schwarzen- 
berg  to  visit  their  relatives,  they  proceeded  to  Italy, 
settling  themselves  for  a  prolonged  stay.  In  January 
of  the  following  year  KaufFman  expired  in  the  arms 
of  his  loving  child. 

The  wedded  pair,  anxious  to  escape  from  the  shad- 
ow of  this  sorrow,  hastened  to  Rome,  where  they  fixed 
their  permanent  abode,  paying  only  a  few  visits  to 
Naples  at  the  command  of  the  royal  family.  Their 
house  was  the  centre  of  attraction  to  the  artistic  and 
literary  society  of  that  capital  of  art ;  and  Madame 
Zucchi  did  the  honors  and  dispensed  hospitalities  with 
a  grace  peculiarly  her  own,  without  losing  a  particle 
of  her  energy  in  the  prosecution  of  her  painting,  or 
any  portion  of  the  love  for  it  that  had  distinguished 
her  early  years.  This  may  account  for  the  uniform 
individuality  discernible  in  her  productions,  in  the 
merits  and  defects  of  which  may  be  traced  the  pecul- 
iarities of  her  nature  and  training. 

In  Rome,  Angelica  became  acquainted  with  Goethe, 
Herder,  and  other  great  men  who  at  different  times 
visited  the  Eternal  City.  Goethe  says  of  her  in  one 
of  his  letters,  "  The  good  Angelica  has  a  most  remark- 
able, and,  for  a  woman,  really  unheard-of  talent ;  one 
must  see  and  value  what  she  does  and  not  what  she 
leaves  undone.  There  is  much  to  learn  from  her,  par- 
ticularly as  to  work,  for  what  she  effects  is  really  mar- 
velous." And  in  his  work  entitled  "  Winkelmann 
and  his  Century,"  he  observes  concerning  her:  "  The 


158  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

light  and  pleasing  in  form  and  color,  in  design  and  ex- 
ecution, distinguish  the  numerous  works  of  our  artist. 
No  living  painter  excels  her  in  dignity,  or  in  the  del- 
icate taste  with  which  she  handles  the  pencil." 

At  the  same  time  she  has  been  thought  deficient  in 
strength  of  outline,  variety  and  force  of  touch ;  her  col- 
oring has  been  said  to  lack  depth  and  warmth ;  while 
all  acknowledge  her  grace,  sweetness,  and  delicacy, 
and  the  freedom  and  ease,  with  the  correctness  and  el- 
egance of  her  drawing.  Her  works  have  been  justly 
called  "  light  and  lovely  May -games  of  a  charming  fan- 
tasy." 

Among  her  character-pictures  have  been  noted  par- 
ticularly "  Allegra"  and  "Penserosa,"  and  fancy  por- 
traits of  Sappho  and  Sophonisba,  with  the  goddesses 
of  Grecian  mythology ;  also  figures  and  scenes  from 
the  modern  poets,  such  as  the  delicate  and  bewitching 
Una,  from  Spenser's  "  Faery  Queen,"  and  simple  alle- 
gorical representations.  These  last  were  favorite  sub- 
jects with  her,  and  were  taken  both  from  classic  and 
romantic  history,  as  "Yenus  and  Adonis,"  "Rinaldo 
and  Armida,"  "The  Death  of  Heloise,"  "Sappho  in- 
spired by  Love,"  etc.  The  praise  can  not  be  denied 
her  of  having  essentially  aided  the  progress  of  modern 
art,  without  parting  with  any  portion  of  her  feminine 
reserve  and  purity.  Her  pictures,  with  Mengs's  writ- 
ings, helped  to  liberate  painting  from  the  exclusive 
school  of  Carlo  Maratti. 

Among  her  best  compositions  have  been  noted 
"  Leonardo  da  Vinci  Dying  in  the  arms  of  Francis  I. ;" 
"  The  Return  of  Arminius" — painted  for  Joseph  II. — 
"The  Funeral  Pomp  of  Pallas;"  and  "The  Nymph 
Surprised,"  covering  herself  hastily  with  a  white  veil. 
In  painting  portraits,  she  had  the  habit  of  waiting,  be- 


ANGELICA  KAUFFMAK  159 

fore  sketching,  to  seize  on  some  favorite  attitude  or 
expression.  She  understood  the  effects  of  clare-ob- 
scure,  and  took  care  to  avoid  confusion  in  her  figures. 
Her  draperies  were  designed  with  taste,  and  not  su- 
perfluous. 

An  amateur  once  said  to  her,  "  Your  angels  could 
walk  without  deranging  their  robes." 

She  was  in  the  habit  of  throwing  on  paper  her  re- 
flections, and  preserving  the  souvenirs.  The  follow- 
ing words  were  written  on  one  of  her  pictures : 

"  I  will  not  attempt  to  express  supernatural  things 
by  human  inspiration,  but  wait  for  that  till  I  reach 
heaven,  if  there  is  painting  done  there." 

Art  to  her  had  been  as  the  breath  of  life,  and  labor 
her  greatest  delight.  They  continued  to  be  so,  even 
when,  crowned  with  fame,  she  was  the  centre  of  an  ad- 
miring circle  in  the  best  society  of  Eome.  Zucchi,  in 
the  hope  of  beguiling  her  from  too  assiduous  applica- 
tion, purchased  a  beautiful  villa — Castle  Gandolfo — 
for  their  residence ;  but  Angelica  could  not  bear  to  be 
long  distant  from  Eome.  Strangers  who  came  to  the 
city  were  soon  attracted  to  pay  their  respects  to  the 
lovely  artist ;  and  in  the  companionship  of  the  great 
and  gifted,  either  in  her  own  circle,  or  with  friends 
like  Klopstock  and  Gessner — who  have  highly  praised 
her  genius — she  exercised  an  influence  that  did  not 
fail  to  promote  the  growth  of  literary  and  artistic  cul- 
tivation. 

De  Eossi  says :  "  It  was  interesting  to  see  Angelica 
and  her  husband  before  a  picture.  While  Zucchi 
spoke  with  enthusiasm,  Angelica  remained  silent,  fix- 
ing her  eloquent  glance  on  the  finest  portions  of  the 
work.  In  her  countenance  one  could  read  her  feel- 
ings, and  her  observations  were  always  limited  to  a 


160  WOME^"  ARTISTS. 

few  brief  words.  These,  however,  seldom  expressed 
any  blame ;  only  the  praises  of  that  which  was  wor- 
thy of  praise.  It  belonged  to  her  nature  to  be  struck 
by  the  beautiful  alone,  as  the  bee  draws  only  honey 
out  of  every  flower." 

Eaphael  Mengs  pronounced  upon  her  a  flattering 
eulogium.  "  As  an  artist,"  he  says,  "  she  is  the  pride 
of  the  female  sex  in  all  times  and  all  nations.  Noth- 
ing is  wanting ;  composition,  coloring,  fancy,  all  are 
here."  But  he  was  her  friend,  and  wrote  thus  while 
the  recollection  of  her  charms  and  virtues  were  fresh 
in  his  memory. 

Fuseli,  who  was  honored  by  her  friendship,  was  a 
more  severe  judge.  He  says,  he  "  has  no  wish  to  con- 
tradict those  who  make  success  the  standard  of  genius, 
and,  as  their  heroine  equals  the  greatest  names  in  the 
first,  suppose  her  on  a  level  with  them  in  power.  She 
pleased,  and  desired  to  please,  the  age  in  which  she 
lived  and  the  race  for  which  she  wrought.  The  Ger- 
mans, with  as  much  patriotism,  at  least,  as  judgment, 
have  styled  her  the  Paintress  of  Minds  (Seelen  Mah- 
lerin) ;  nor  can  this  be  wondered  at  for  a  nation  who, 
in  A.  E.  Mengs,  flatter  themselves  that  they  possess  an 
artist  equal  to  Eaphael. 

"  The  male  and  female  characters  of  Angelica  never 
vary  in  form,  feature,  or  expression  from  the  favorite 
ideal  in  her  own  mind.  Her  heroes  are  all  the  man 
to  whom  she  thought  she  could  have  submitted, 
though  him,  perhaps,  she  never  found.  Her  heroines 
are  herself,  and,  while  suavity  of  countenance  and  al- 
luring graces  shall  be  able  to  divert  the  general  eye 
from  the  sterner  demands  of  character  and  expression, 
can  never  fail  to  please." 

The  lighter  scenes  of  poetry  were  painted  by  her 


ANGELICA  KAUFFMAN.  161 

with  a  grace  and  taste  entirely  her  own,  and  happily 
formed,  withal,  to  meet  that  of  an  engraver,  whose  la- 
bors contributed  to  the  growth  and  perpetuity  of  her 
fame.  This  was  Bartolozzi,  whose  talents  were  in  great 
part  devoted  to  her. 

One  feels  naturally  desirous  of  knowing  something 
about  the  personal  appearance  of  one  so  much  admired. 
Her  portrait,  painted  by  herself,  the  size  of  life,  is  in 
the  Pitti  Gallery  at  Florence,  with  that  of  two  other 
female  artists ;  and  the  three  attract  the  attention  of 
every  visitor. 

The  following  is  the  description  of  one  spectator: 
"  The  first  in  feature  and  expression  bears  the  stamp 
of  a  masculine  intellect;  the  touch  is  vigorous,  the 
coloring  has  the  golden  tint  of  the  Venetian  school, 
but  it  presents  no  mark  of  individuality ;  this  is  Maria 
Eobusti  Tintoretti.  The  second  can  not  be  mistaken ; 
even  the  most  unpracticed  eye  would  discern  at  a 
glance  that  it  is  a  Frenchwoman — piquant,  lively^ 
graceful,  evidently  not  so  much  engrossed  with  her 
art  as  to  be  insensible  to  admiration  as  a  woman — this 
is  the  well-known  Madame  Le  Brun.  Opposite  the 
fair  Parisian  is  a  third  portrait,  a  woman  still  in  the 
bloom  of  life,  but  destitute  of  all  brilliancy  of  coloring, 
with  an  expression  grave  and  pensive  almost  to  mel- 
ancholy. She  is  seated  on  a  stone,  in  the  midst  of  a 
solitary  landscape,  a  portfolio  with  sketches  in  one 
hand,  a  pencil  in  the  other.  The  attitude  is  unstudied 
almost  to  negligence.  There  is  no  attempt  at  display ; 
you  feel  as  you  look  on  her  that  every  thought  is 
absorbed  in  her  vocation.  This  is  Angelica  Kauff- 
man." 

The  quiet  tenor  of  her  life  was  broken  up  by  the 
death  of  her  husband  in  1795.  This  domestic  calamity 


162  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

was  followed  by  political  events  that  shook  the  world, 
and  our  artist  suffered  amid  the  universal  agitation. 
She  was  much  disquieted  by  the  invasion  of  Italy  by 
the  French,  though  she  found  in  her  art  both  relief 
from  care  and  a  protection  from  the  dread  of  poverty. 
General  L'Espinasse  exempted  the  house  in  which  she 
lived  from  lodging  soldiers,  and  offered  her  his  serv- 
ices for  her  security  and  protection.  But  no  kindness 
could  restore  her  lost  energy  or  bring  back  the  cheer- 
fulness that  had  once  sustained  her. 

In  1802  Angelica  was  seized  with  illness,  and  on 
recovery  was  advised  to  travel  for  the  strengthening 
of  both  her  bodily  and  mental  faculties,  and  for  relief 
from  the  oppression  of  sadness  that  paralyzed  even 
her  love  of  art.  She  visited  Florence,  Milan,  and 
Como,  where  she  lingered  with  a  melancholy  pleasure 
amid  the  scenes  of  her  youthful  days.  In  Venice  she 
staid  to  visit  the  family  of  her  deceased  husband.  She 
then  returned  to  Rome,  where  she  was  received  by  her 
friends  with  a  jubilant  welcome. 

Her  time  passed  thenceforward  in  her  accustomed 
employments,  and  the  society  of  those  who  loved  her. 
Her  health  continued  to  decline,  but  her  intellect  re- 
mained bright  and  vigorous  to  the  period  of  her  death 
in  November,  1807.  Not  long  before  she  expired  she 
requested  her  cousin  by  signs  to  read  to  her  one  of 
Gellert's  spiritual  odes.  In  the  midst  of  Italian  life 
she  was  ever  true  to  the  German  spirit ;  as,  amid  her 
more  than  masculine  labors,  she  preserved  her  gentle, 
womanly  nature.  The  news  of  her  decease  caused 
profound  grief  throughout  Rome.  All  the  members 
of  the  Academy  of  St.  Luke  assisted  at  her  funeral ; 
and,  as  at  the  obsequies  of  Raphael,  her  latest  pictures 
were  borne  after  her  bier.  Her  remains  were  placed 


ANGELICA  KATJFFMAN.  ,      163 

in  the  Church  of  St.  Andrew  della  Fratte.     Her  bust 
was  preserved  in  the  Pantheon. 

Her  works  are  scattered  all  over  Europe,  and  are  to 
be  found  in  Vienna,  Munich,  London,  Florence,  Eome, 
Paris,  etc. 


164  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Female  Artists  in  the  Scandinavian  Countries. — In  Sweden. — Ulrica 
Pasch. — Danish  Women  Artists. — A  richer  Harvest  in  the  Nether- 
lands.— The  Belgian  Sculptress. — Maria  Verelst. — Her  Paintings 
and  Attainments  in  the  Languages. — Residence  in  London. — 
Curious  Anecdote. — Walpole's  Remark. — Women  Artists  in  Hol- 
land.— Poetry. — Henrietta  Wolters. — Her  Portraits. — Invitation 
from  Peter  the  Great. — Dutch  Paintresses. — The  young  Engraver. 
— Caroline  Scheffer. — Landscape  and  Flower  Painters. — A  Fol- 
lower of  Rachel  Ruysch. — An  Engraver. — In  England. — Painting 
suited  to  Women. — Literary  Ladies. — Effect  of  the  Introduction 
of  a  new  Manner  in  Art. — Numerous  Dilettanti. — Female  Sculp- 
tors.— Mrs.  Samon. — Mrs.  Siddons  and  others. — Mrs.  Darner. — 
Aristocratic  Birth. — Early  love  of  Study  and  Art. — Horace  Wai- 
pole  her  Adviser. — Conversation  with  Hume. — First  Attempt  at 
Modeling. — The  Marble  Bust  and  Hume's  Criticism. — Surprise 
of  the  gay  World. — Miss  Conway's  Lessons  and  Works. — Unfor- 
tunate Marriage. — Widowhood. — Politics. — Walpole's  Opinion  of 
Mrs.  Darner's  Sculptures. — Darwin's  Lines. — Sculptures. — Envy 
and  Detraction. — Going  abroad. — Escape  from  Danger. — Noble 
Ambition.— Return  to  England. — Politics  and  Kissing. — Private 
Theatricals. — The  three  Heroes. — Friendship  with  the  Empress. 
— Walpole's  Bequest. — Parlor  Theatricals,  etc. — Removal. — Proj- 
ect for  improving  India. —  Mrs.  Darner's  Works. —  Opinions  of 
her. 

FROM  Germany  we  now  turn  to  the  northern  coun- 
tries, to  the  Netherlands,  and  England,  to  glance  at 
their  female  artists  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

Few  are  found  among  the  Scandinavian  nations. 
Female  talent  had  greatly  aided  to  bring  about  the 
rise  of  literature  in  Sweden,  as  in  the  instance  of  Char- 
lotte Nordenflycht  and  Ulrica  Widstrom  by  their  lyric 


MARIA  VEEELST.  165 

poems,  and  Maria  Lenngren  by  her  dramatic  produc- 
tions ;  but  only  one  artist  of  merit  appears — the  paint- 
er Ulrica  Frederika  Pasch,  who,  in  1773,  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Academy  at  Stockholm. 

In  Denmark,  where  many  women  cultivated  the 
muses,  gaining  celebrity  for  lyric  and  dramatic  pro- 
ductions, a  flower-painter,  C.  M.  Eyding,  and  an  en- 
graver on  copper,  Alexia  de  Lodde,  may  be  men- 
tioned, as  well  as  Margaretta  Ziesenis,  who  devoted 
herself  to  painting  portraits  and  historical  pieces,  and 
was  somewhat  famous  for  her  copies  in  miniature,  such 
as  that  of  Correggio's  Zingarella. 

A  much  richer  harvest  opens  in  the  Netherlands,  in 
which  the  number  of  women  pursuing  art  as  a  profes- 
sion was  not  less  than  it  had  been  in  the  preceding 
century.  Among  the  Belgians  the  name  of  the  sculp- 
tress Anna  Maria  von  Eeyschoot  of  Ghent  must  not  be 
omitted. 

MARIA  VERELST. 

Maria  Verelst  was  born  in  1680,  at  Antwerp.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  the  painter  Herman  Yerelst,  and 
belonged  to  a  family  abounding  in  celebrated  artists. 
She  received  instruction  from  her  uncle,  Simon  Verelst, 
and  was  highly  esteemed,  not  only  for  her  very  un- 
common skill  in  small  portraits,  while  she  attempted 
historical  pieces  successfully,  but  also  for  her  attain- 
ments in  the  languages  and  music.  She  went  with 
her  father  to  London,  then,  as  before  and  afterward, 
the  rendezvous  of  foreign  talent,  and  died  there  in 
1744. 

Descampes  mentions  a  curious  anecdote  of  her  pro- 
ficiency in  the  languages.  During  her  residence  in 
London,  one  evening  at  the  theatre,  she  chanced  to  sit 


166  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

near  six  German  gentlemen  of  high  rank.  They  were 
struck  with  her  beauty  and  distinguished  air,  and  ex- 
pressed their  admiration  in  conversation  with  each 
other,  in  the  most  high-flown  terms  which  the  German 
language  could  supply.  The  lady  turned  and  ad- 
dressed them  in  the  same  tongue,  observing  that  such 
extravagant  praise  in  the  presence  of  a  lady  conveyed 
to  her  no  real  compliment.  One  of  them  soon  after 
repeated  his  encomium  in  Latin.  She  again  turned, 
and,  replying  in  the  same  language,  said,  "  It  was  un- 
just to  deprive  the  fair  sex  of  that  classic  tongue,  the 
vehicle  of  so  much  true  learning  and  taste." 

With  increased  admiration  the  strangers  begged  per- 
mission to  pay  their  respects  in  person  to  a  lady  so 
singularly  endowed.  Maria  answered  that  she  was  a 
painter  by  profession,  and  lived  with  her  uncle,  Ye- 
relst  the  flower-painter.  They  did  not  lose  time  in 
availing  themselves  of  the  opportunity  of  seeing  the 
fair  artist  and  her  works.  Each  of  the  gentlemen  sat 
for  his  portrait,  for  which  he  gave  liberal  compensa- 
tion. The  story  spread  abroad,  and  proved  an  intro- 
duction for  Maria  into  the  best  society. 

Walpole  remarks  of  this  artist  that  she  painted  in 
oil  both  large  and  small  portraits,  and  drew  small  his- 
tory-pieces. She  spoke  Latin,  German,  Italian,  and 
other  languages  fluently. 

In  Protestant  Holland  women  artists  are  found  in 
still  greater  numbers.  Here  the  same  favorable  cir- 
cumstances which  had  in  former  ages  brought  art  to 
early  bloom  existed  with  little  change.  As  women 
assumed  an  influential  position  in  literature,  so  they 
did  in  the  pictorial  arts. 

The  religious  spirit  that  animated  many  breathed  in 
the  hymns  and  odes  of  Petronella  Mocas,,and  in  the 


HENRIETTA  WOLTERS.  167 

didactic  poetry  of  Lucretia  van  Merken ;  Elizabeth. 
Wolff  made  herself  known  by  her  poetical  epistles ; 
and  the  national  drama,  the  fair  fruit  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  had  a  votary  in  the  Baroness  von 
Launoy,  who  made  translations  from  Tyrtaeus.  In 
like  manner  did  women  show  their  enterprise  in  the 
branches  of  study  which  belong  to  our  subject. 

HENRIETTA  WOLTERS. 

Henrietta  "Wolters  of  Amsterdam  gained  no  incon- 
siderable fame  as  a  miniature-painter.  She  was  the 
pupil  of  her  father,  Theodore  van  Pee,  and  was  early 
accustomed  to  copy  from  Yan  derVelde  andVandyck. 
The  miniature  portraits  afterward  painted  by  her  were 
so  perfect  in  finish  and  execution,  that  the  Czar  Peter 
the  Great,  who  seems  to  liave  become  acquainted  with 
her  during  his  journey  incognito  through  Holland,  of- 
fered her  a  salary  of  six  thousand  florins  as  court- 
painter  if  she  would  remove  to  his  capital.  She  re- 
ceived as  much,  as  four  hundred  florins  for  a  single 
picture.  She  declined  the  imperial  invitation,  and  re- 
mained in  her  home,  where,  having  lived  with  her 
husband,  the  painter  "Wolters,  since  1719,  she  died  in 
1741. 

Passing  over  several  of  little  note  as  artists,  though 
among  them  are  numbered  the  Princess  Anna  of  Or- 
ange and  Cornelia  de  Ryk,  we  may  pause  to  mention 
Christina  Chalon,  who  was  born  in  Amsterdam  in 
1749,  and  received  her  education  with  another  artist, 
Sarah  Troost.  She  painted  chiefly  in  gouache  scenes 
from  country  life  and  family  groups,  and  is  said  to 
have  learned  the  engraver's  art  so  young  that  she  en- 
graved a  picture  when  only  nine  years  old.  She  died 
at  Leyden  in  1808. 


168  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

Caroline  Scheffer  belongs  to  the  close  of  this  centu- 
ry. She  was  the  daughter  and  pupil  of  a  painter, 
Ary  Lamme,  and  married  another,  J.  B.  Scheffer  of 
Mannheim,  with  whom  she  lived  long  in  Amsterdam 
and  Eotterdam.  After  her  husband's  death,  in  1809, 
she  went  to  Paris  with  her  two  sons,  Ary  and  Henry, 
to  give  them  the  advantage  of  the  best  instruction  in 
painting.  They  did  credit  to  the  care  of  this  good 
and  affectionate  mother  in  the  fame  they  acquired, 
and  returned  her  devotion  with  due  tenderness  and 
filial  love.  She  died  at  Paris  in  1839. 

To  these  names  should  be  added  those  of  several 
women  who  devoted  themselves  especially  to  land- 
scape and  flower  painting — two  branches  in  which 
Holland  could  boast  artists  of  skill  and  renown. 
Among  these  are  Elizabeth  Ryberg,  who  lived  in  Rot- 
terdam; Maria  Jacoba  Ommegank,  and  Alberta  ten 
Oever  of  Groningen,  some  of  whose  landscapes,  in  the 
manner  of  Ruysdael  and  Hobbema,  were  seen  in  the 
exhibition  of  1818.  Anna  Moritz,  Susanna  Maria 
Nymegen,  and  Cornelia  van  der  Myin,  are  named  by 
Dr.Guhl. 

Elizabeth  Georgina  van  Hogenhuizen,  a  dilettante, 
born  in  Hague  in  1776,  became  a  disciple  of  Kachel 
Ruysch,  and  gave  promise  of  attaining  to  a  kindred 
celebrity,  had  not  her  life  been  cut  short  in  the  bloom 
of  eighteen. 

Among  engravers  on  copper,  who  employed  them- 
selves with  the  pencil  as  well  as  the  graver,  may  be 
mentioned  Maria  Elizabeth  Simons ;  she  engraved  sev- 
eral pictures  from  Rubens  and  Van  der  Velde  in  the 
early  part  of  the  century. 

In  England,  the  political  greatness  of  the  nation 
and  the  appreciation  of  art  among  the  nobility,  more 


LITERARY   LADIES.  169 

than  any  natural  predisposition  of  the  people,  proved 
favorable  to  the  progress  of  a  cultivated  taste,  and  re- 
warded talent  from  other  countries.  Corresponding 
to  the  improvement  in  the  prospects  of  art,  we  find  a 
number  of  women  occupied  diligently  in  its  pursuit. 

A  writer  in  one  of  the  British  reviews  observes : 
"  The  profession  of  the  painter  would  seem,  in  many 
respects,  peculiarly  fitted  for  woman.  It  demands  no 
sacrifice  of  maiden  modesty  nor  of  matronly  reserve ; 
it  leads  her  into  no  scenes  of  noisy  revelry  or  unseem- 
ly license;  it  does  not  force  her  to  stand  up  to  be 
stared  at,  commented  on,  clapped  or  hissed  by  a  crowd- 
ed and  often  unmannered  audience,  who  forget  the 
woman  in  the  artist.  It  leaves  her,  during  a  great 
portion  of  her  time  at  least,  beneath  the  protecting 
shelter  of  her  home,  beside  her  own  quiet  fireside,  in 
the  midst  of  those  who  love  her  and  whom  she  loves. 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  to  attain  high  eminence,  it 
demands  the  entire  devotion  of  a  life ;  it  entails  a  toil 
and  study,  severe,  continuous,  and  unbroken."  There 
is  enough  in  this  twofold  truth  to  account  both  for  the 
number  of  women  artists  and  the  failure  of  many  to 
reach  the  distinction  they  aimed  at. 

The  assiduous  cultivation  of  literature  among  ladies 
of  the  higher  class  in  the  eighteenth  century  is  suffi- 
ciently attested  by  productions  that  yet  remain  for 
popular  admiration.  The  names  of  Joanna  Baillie, 
Mrs.  Montague,  Clara  Eeeve,  Fanny  Burney,  Harriet 
and  Sophia  Lee,  Mrs.  Cowley,  etc.,  posterity  will  not 
willingly  let  die;  and -the  improvement  in  general  ed- 
ucation owes  much  to  the  beneficial  influence  of  wom- 
en who  labored  for  this  end,  and  strove  also  to  intro- 
duce into  society  a  less  frivolous  tone  of  manners  and 
a  more  pervading  respect  for  morality  and  religion. 

H 


170  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Mrs.  Trimmer,  Hannah  More,  Mrs.  Barbauld,  are  re- 
membered with  gratitude  as  having  done  their  part  in 
the  good  work;  as  also  Elizabeth  Smith,  who  added 
to  her  literary  acquirements  extraordinary  talents  and 
accomplishments  both  in  music  and  painting. 

It  was  after  the  introduction  of  a  new  manner  by 
artists  who  had  partaken  of  the  inspiration  of  Carstens 
— such  as  Flaxman  and  Fuseli,  near  the  close  of  the 
century — that  the  greater  number  of  English  female 
artists  came  into  notice.  It  is  necessary  to  mention 
only  the  most  prominent.  One  third,  at  least,  of  the 
entire  body  in  England  were  distinguished  chiefly  as 
amateurs,  while  in  France  the  contrary  was  true,  very 
few  having  been  noted  among  the  artists  of  this  pe- 
riod. 

First  let  us  pay  some  attention  to  the  sculptors.  In 
the  early  part  of  the  century  Mrs.  Samon  modeled  fig- 
ures and  historical  groups  in  wax.  It  is  said  that  the 
world -renowned  Siddons  was  accustomed  to  amuse 
herself  occasionally  by  attempts  in  sculpture.  Lady 
E.  Fitzgerald,  Miss  Ogle,  Mrs.  Wilmot,  and  Miss  An- 
dross,  were  also  noted  for  their  attempts  in  sculpture. 
But  the  place  of  pre-eminence,  above  all  who  had  ap- 
peared down  to  the  later  years  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, belongs  to  Mrs.  Darner. 

ANNE  SEYMOUR  DAMEB. 

A  rarer  honor  it  is  to  a  nation  to  be  able  to  boast 
of  a  successful  artist  of  aristocratic  origin  than  of  a 
celebrated  statesman.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
descended  from  families  of  the  best  blood  of  England. 
Born  in  1748,  she  was  the  only  child  of  Field  Mar- 
shal Henry  Seymour  Conway  (brother  to  the  Marquis 
of  Hertford)  and  Caroline  Campbell,  only  daughter  of 


ANNE  SEYHOUK  DAMEK.  171 

John,  the  fourth  Duke  of  Argyle,  and  widow  of  the 
Earl  of  Aylesbury  and  Elgin.  "Her  birth  entitled 
her  to  a  life  of  ease  and  luxury ;  her  beauty  exposed 
her  to  the  assiduities  of  suitors  and  the  temptations  of 
courts^*  but  it  was  her  pleasure  to  forget  all  such  ad- 
vantages, and  dedicate  the  golden  hours  of  her  youth 
to  the  task  of  raising  a  name  by  working  in  wet  clay, 
plaster  of  Paris,  stubborn  marble,  and  still  more  in- 
tractable bronze."* 

The  foundation  of  a  pure  and  correct  taste  was  laid 
in  her  superior  education.  She  devoted  herself  early 
to  study,  and  acquired  a  knowledge  of  general  litera- 
ture rare  among  women ;  became  well  acquainted  with 
the  history  and  arts  of  the  nations  of  antiquity,  and 
with  the  standard  authors  of  England,  France,  and  Ita- 
ly. Her  cousin,  Horace  Walpole,  was  greatly  pleased 
with  her  enthusiasm,  and  took  delight  in  directing  her 
studies. 

She  had  long  been  accustomed  to  gaze  with  admira- 
tion on  the  few  beautiful  pieces  of  ancient  sculpture 
which  she  had  opportunity  of  seeing,  and  she  felt  in 
her  own  soul  that  inspiration  which  is  almost  always 
the  prophecy  of  success.  It  is  said  the  bent  of  her 
genius  was  discovered  by  an  adventure  with  David 
Hume,  the  historian.  When  eighteen  or  twenty  years 
old,  Anne  was  walking  with  him  one  day.  They 
were  accosted  by  an  Italian  boy^  who  offered  for  sale 
some  plaster  figures  and  vases.  The  historian  exam- 
ined his  wares,  and  spent  some  minutes  talking  with 
the  little  fellow.  Miss  Conway  afterward  rallied  Mr. 
Hume  in  company  upon  his  taste  for  paltry  plaster 
casts.  He  replied,  with  a  touch  of  sarcasm,  that  the 
images  she  had  viewed  with  such  contempt  had  not 

*  Allan  Cunningham. 


172  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

been  made  without  the  aid  of  both  science  and  genius, 
adding  that  a  woman,  even  with  all  her  attainments, 
could  not  produce  such  works.  The  young  lady  form- 
ed a  determination  from  that  moment  to  convince  her 
monitor  of  his  mistake. 

She  procured  wax  and  modeling  tools,  worked  in 
secret,  and  in  a  short  time  finished  a  head — some  say 
a  portrait  of  the  philosopher,  which  she  presented  to 
him  in  no  small  triumph. 

"  This  is  very  clever,"  observed  Hume.  "  It  really 
deserves  praise  for  a  first  attempt ;  but,  remember,  it 
is  much  easier  to  model  in  wax  than  to  chisel  a  bust 
from  marble." 

The  persevering  girl  was  resolved  to  compel  the 
satirist  to  the  admission  that  a  woman  could  do  more 
than  he  had  supposed.  Without  any  announcement 
of  her  design,  she  supplied  herself  with  marble  and  all 
the  necessary  implements  of  labor.  It  was  not  long 
before  she  had  copied  out  in  marble,  roughly  perhaps, 
but  faithfully,  the  head  she  had  modeled  in  wax.  She 
placed  it  before  the  historian,  who  was  actually  sur- 
prised into  admiration,  though  he  found  something 
still  to  criticise  in  the  want  of  fine  workmanship  and 
delicate  finish.  His  fault-finding  probably  went  far  to 
stimulate  her  to  new  exertions.  From  this  time  the 
impulse  of  genius  was  strong  within  her,  and  she  was 
firmly  resolved  even  to  seclude  herself  from  the  brill- 
iant society  by  which  she  was  surrounded  for  the  pur- 
pose of  devoting  her  life  to  the  pursuit  she  found  so 
congenial  to  her  taste. 

It  could  not  long  be  concealed  from  the  world  of 
fashion  that  the  admired  Miss  Conway  had  forsaken 
the  mask  and  the  dance,  and  was  working,  like  any 
day -laborer,  in  wet  clay;  that  she  moved  amid  sub- 


ANNE  SEYMOUK  DAMER.  173 

dued  lights ;  that  her  glossy  hair  was  covered  with  a 
mob  cap  to  keep  out  the  white  dust  of  the  marble, 
while  an  unsightly  apron  preserved  her  silk  gown  and 
embroidered  slippers ;  that  her  white  and  delicate  fin- 
gers were  often  soiled  with  clay,  or  grasped  the  ham- 
mer and  the  chisel.  The  strange  story  ran  like  wild- 
fire among  the  circles  of  her  acquaintance.  Several 
titled  ladies  had  wielded  the  pencil  and  the  brush,  but 
scarcely  one  could  be  remembered  who  had  taken  to 
sculpture.  It  may  well  be  imagined  that  the  spirited 
girl  found  pleasure  in  showing  her  independence,  and 
that  she  was  animated  by  a  noble  ambition  to  carve 
out  for  herself  with  the  chisel  a  place  among  the  hon- 
ored among  artists,  worthy  of  a  descendant  of  the  Sey- 
mours and  the  Campbells.  Works  of  genius  seemed 
more  than  coronets  to  her;  and  noble  actions,  than 
Norman  blood ! 

She  now  took  lessons  in  modeling  and  the  element- 
al part  of  sculpture,  from  Cerrachi — the  same  conspir- 
ator who  was  brought  to  the  guillotine  for  plotting 
against  Napoleon — while  she  perfected  herself  in  the 
practical  part  of  working  in  marble  in  the  studio  of 
the  elder  Bacon,  and  studied  anatomy  with  Cruik- 
shanks.  She  produced  a  number  of  ideal  heads  and 
busts,  and  some  figures  of  animals,  executed  with 
skill ;  but  her  progress  was  slow,  and  she  produced  no 
work  of  note  till  seven  years  after  her  marriage. 

At  the  age  of  nineteen  she  bestowed  her  hand  upon 
the  Hon.  John  Darner,  the  eldest  son  of  Lord  Milton, 
and  the  nephew  of  the  Earl  of  Dorchester.  This  mar- 
riage proved  a  sad  drawback  to  the  improvement  of 
our  young  artist.  Darner — "heir  in  expectancy  to 
thirty  thousand  a  year — was  at  once  eccentric  and  ex- 
travagant. Those  were  the  days  of  silk,  and  lace,  and 


174  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

embroidery,  and  he  adorned  his  person  with  all  that 
was  costly,  and  loved  to  surprise  his  friends  and  vex 
his  wife  by  appearing  thrice  a  day  in  a  new  suit."  He 
furnished  for  Miss  Burney,  remarks  Mrs.  Lee,  "  in  her 
celebrated  novel  of  Cecilia,  a  character  in  real  life — 
Harrington,  the  guardian  of  her  heroine."  He  became 
the  prey  of  tailors  and  money-lenders  in  London ;  his 
extravagance  daily  increased,  and  he  scattered  a  prince- 
ly fortune  in  a  few  years.  In  nine  years  this  unhappy 
union  was  terminated  by  the  suicide  of  the  husband, 
who  shot  himself  with  a  pistol,  in  the  Bedford  Arms, 
Covent  Garden,  in  August,  1776.  His  wardrobe,  which 
was  sold  at  auction,  is  said  to  have  brought  fifteen 
thousand  pounds — perhaps  half  its  cost. 

The  widow,  left  childless,  availed  herself  of  her  re- 
covered freedom  to  take  journeys  with  the  object  of 
gaining  new  ideas  in  the  art  she  loved.  She  traveled 
through  France,  Spain,  and  Italy,  renewing  her  stud- 
ies in  sculpture.  At  this  time  it  was  the  fashion  for 
ladies  to  take  a  warm  interest  in  politics.  Mrs.  Darner 
became  an  ardent  partisan  of  the  Whig  cause,  and  act- 
ive in  helping  to  carry  elections. 

Mrs.  Lee  observes:  " Gentlemen  have  no  objection 
to  ladies  being  politicians  if  they  take  the  right  side : 
to  wit,  that  to  which  they  themselves  belong ;  and  Mrs. 
Darner  conscientiously  adopted  the  opinions  of  the 
Whig  party.  At  that  time  Great  Britain  was  waging 
war  with  her  American  colonies.  She  took  the  part 
of  the  rebellious  subjects,  warmly  espoused  our  cause, 
and  bravely  advanced  her  opinions."  She  was  a  warm 
friend  of  Fox. 

Walpole  thus  speaks  of  his  cousin's  works,  which 
soon  acquired  her  fame  as  a  sculptor :  "  Mrs.  Darner's 
busts  from  the  life  are  not  inferior  to  the  antique.  Her 


ANNE  SEYMOUR  DAMEK.  175 

shock  dog,  large  as  life,  and  only  not  alive,  lias  a 
looseness  and  softness  in  the  curls  that  seemed  impos- 
sible to  terra-cotta ;  it  rivals  the  marble  one  of  Bernini 
in  the  royal  collection.  As  the  ancients  have  left  us 
but  five  animals  of  equal  merit  with  their  human  fig- 
ures— viz.,  the  Barberini  goat,  the  Tuscan  boar,  the 
Mattel  eagle,  the  eagle  at  Strawberry  Hill,  and  Mr. 
Jenning's  dog — the  talent  of  Mrs.  Darner  must  appear 
in  the  most  distinguished  light."  Cerrachi  gave  a 
whole  figure  of  Anne  as  the  Muse  of  Sculpture,  pre- 
serving the  graceful  lightness  of  her  form  and  air. 
The  poet  Darwin  says : 

"  Long  with  soft  touch  shall  Darner's  chisel  charm ; 
With  grace  delight  us,  and  with  beauty  warm." 

After  1780,  she  produced  several  fine  specimens  of 
sculpture,  both  in  marble  and  terra-cotta.  She  made  a 
group  of  sleeping  dogs,  in  marble,  for  the  Duke  of 
Kichmond,  her  brother-in-law,  and  another  for  Queen 
Charlotte.  She  presented  a  bust  of  herself,  in  1778, 
to  the  Florentine  Gallery,  and  executed  several  of  her 
titled  lady  relatives,  which  were  esteemed  as  works  of 
great  merit,  and  still  adorn  the  galleries  of  noble  con- 
noisseurs. Two  colossal  heads  of  her  workmanship, 
representing  Thames  and  Isis,  were  designed  for  the 
keystones  of  the  bridge  at  Henley. 

Envy  was  busy,  as  it  generally  is,  in  disputing  the 
claims  of  this  noble  lady  to  the  entire  authorship  of 
her  celebrated  productions ;  but,  though  they  exhibit 
a  varied  character,  there  was  no  proof  that  she  availed 
herself  of  more  assistance  than  is  usual  for  all  sculp- 
tors, both  in  modeling  and  marble-work.  Subordinate 
hands  are  always  employed  in  preparing  the  model 
and  removing  the  superfluous  material. 

Mrs.  Darner  complied  with  the  fancy  of  the  day  in 


176  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

idealizing  the  portraits  of  some  of  her  friends  into 
muses  and  deities.  To  please  her  fast  friend,  Horace 
"Walpole,  she  presented  him  with  two  kittens  in  mar- 
ble, wrought  by  herself,  as  an  addition  to  the  curiosi- 
ties of  his  villa.  Still  more  endearing  than  their  rela- 
tionship was  her  agreement  with  him  in  political  opin- 
ions. 

She  had  lost  her  father  at  the  time  she  went  abroad 
in  1779.  The  seas  were  filled  with  the  armed  vessels 
of  France,  America,  and  Great  Britain,  and  there  was 
some  danger  in  crossing  the  Channel.  The  sculptress 
was  protected,  it  is  true,  by  her  sympathy  with  the 
Transatlantic  "  rebels"  and  by  her  character  of  artist. 
However,  the  vessel  in  which  she  sailed  encountered 
a  French  man-of-war,  with  which  a  running  fight  was 
kept  up  for  four  hours.  But  "  the  heroic  daughter  of 
a  hero"  manifested  both  sense  and  coolness.  The 
French  prevailed ;  the  packet  struck  its  colors  within 
sight  of  Ostend ;  but  Mrs.  Darner  was  not  detained  in 
captivity. 

She  now  devoted  herself  more  assiduously  to  the 
study  of  classic  authors,  with  the  view  of  entering 
more  fully  into  the  feeling  and  character  of  antique 
sculpture.  She  kept  notes  of  her  reflections  as  she 
contemplated  the  works  of  art  in  Italy,  with  the  re- 
marks of  critics.  She  was  bent  on  accomplishing 
some  great  work,  the  glory  of  which  should  eclipse 
the  lustre  of  her  hereditary  dignity.  She  had  more 
ambition  to  become  distinguished  as  a  sculptor  than 
as  the  descendant  of  the  high  aristocracy  of  Britain. 

Eeturning  from  Italy  and  Spain,  she  took  part  in 
the  election  that  terminated  in  the  triumph  of  Charles 
Fox.  Mrs.  Crewe  and  the  lovely  Duchess  of  Devon- 
shire joined  her  in  canvassing  for  their  favorite,  the 


ANNE  SEYMOUR  DAMEK.  177 

Whig  candidate,  "rustling  their  silks  in  the  lowest 
sinks  of  sin  and  misery,  and,  in  return  for  the  electors' 
1  most  sweet  voices,'  submitting,  it  is  said,  their  own 
sweet  cheeks  to  the  salutes  of  butchers  and  barge- 
men." 

An  old  elector  said  to  Cunningham :  "  It  was  a  fine 
sight  to  see  a  grand  lady  come  right  smack  up  to  us 
hard-working  mortals,  with  a  hand  held  out,  and  a 
'  Master,  how  d'  ye  do  ?'  and  laugh  so  loud,  and  talk 
so  kind,  and  shake  us  by  the  hand,  and  say,  '  Give  us 
your  vote,  worthy  sir  —  a  plumper  for  the  people's 
friend,  our  friend,  every  body's  friend.'  And  then, 
sir,  if  we  hummed  and  hawed,  they  would  ask  us  for 
our  wives  and  children ;  and  if  that  didn't  do,  they'd 
think  nothing  of  a  kiss — ay,  a  dozen  on  'em.  Kissing 
was  nothing  to  them,  and  it  came  all  so  natural." 

It  is  recorded,  also,  that  Mrs.  Darner  was  fond  of 
private  theatricals,  and  recited  poetry  and  personated 
characters  in  plays  performed  at  the  Duke  of  Eich- 
mond's  and  elsewhere.  Her  talents  in  high  comedy 
won  deserved  applause,  and  many  of  our  actresses 
would  be  eclipsed  by  her  performance  in  the  standard 
old  pieces.  But  though  she  took  part  in  such  enter- 
tainments for  the  pleasure  of  others,  her  own  delight 
was  in  sculpture  alone.  Her  busts  in  bronze,  marble, 
and  terra-cotta  became  ornaments  to  the  rich  collections 
of  her  friends.  Her  statue  of  the  king  in  marble  was 
established  in  the  Edinburgh  Eegister  Office.  She 
consecrated  a  monumental  bust  to  the  memory  of  the 
countess  her  mother,  whose  pieces  of  needle- work  had 
equaled  the  finest  paintings.  She  formed  a  design  to 
perpetuate  .the  memory  of  a  noble  act  by  Lord  Wil- 
liam Campbell,  her  uncle,  he  having  once  leaped  from 
a  boat  into  the  Thames,  and  dived  down  sixteen  feet,  to 

H2 


178  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

save  the  life  of  a  drowning  man.  This  work  was  nev- 
er finished  in  marble. 

Mrs.  Darner's  heroes,  out  of  her  own  family,  were 
Fox,  Nelson,  and  Napoleon ;  and  she  was  acquainted 
with  them  all.  She  executed  the  busts  of  the  first 
two,  and  it  was  one  of  her  fancies  to  record  in  a  small 
book  the  remarks  of  "  the  Napoleon  of  the  waves" 
during  his  conversations  with  her.  During  her  visit 
in  France  she  formed  a  friendship  for  the  Viscountess 
Beauharnais ;  and  many  years  afterward  a  French 
gentleman  brought  her  a  letter  from  the  wife  of  the 
First  Consul,  with  a  splendid  present  of  porcelain. 
She  was  invited  to  Paris  by  her  former  friend,  who 
desired  to  present  her  to  Napoleon.  The  latter  asked 
her  for  a  bust  of  Fox,  which  Mrs.  Darner  brought  to 
the  emperor  on  a  subsequent  visit  to  Paris.  The  em- 
peror presented  her  with  a  splendid  snuff-box  and  his 
portrait  set  with  diamonds. 

Walpole  died  in  1797,  bequeathing  to  this  daughter 
of  General  Con  way  for  her  life,  his  Gothic  villa  of 
"  Strawberry  Hill,"  with  its  rich  and  rare  contents- 
books  and  artistic  curiosities  —  and  two  thousand 
pounds  a  year  to  keep  the  place  in  repair.  It  has 
"become  famous  from  its  connection  with  the  studies 
of  the  accomplished  author  of  the  Castle  of  Otranto." 
Here  Mrs.  Darner  was  happy  in  entertaining  her  friends, 
not  only  with  feasts  of  good  things  at  her  table,  but 
with  private  theatrical  performances,  in  which  she  oft- 
en took  part.  Joanna  Baillie,  the  matchless  Siddons, 
Mrs.  Garrick,  Mrs.  Berry  and  her  daughters,  were 
among  her  chosen  companions.  The  classic  villa, 
however,  had  been  entailed  upon  Lord  Waldegrave, 
and  Mrs.  Darner  was  induced  to  give  it  up  to  him  ten 
years  previous  to  her  own  death.  She  purchased 


ANNE   SEYMOUR  DAMER.  179 

York  House  in  the  neighborhood,  the  birth-place  of 
Queen  Anne.  This  was  her  summer  residence,  her 
winter  house  being  in  Park  Lane. 

As  she  approached  the  close  of  life,  and  saw  the 
heroes  of  her  early  enthusiasm  pass  away,  her  love  of 
sculpture  increased.  She  thought  the  art  might  be 
made  to  render  important  aid  in  the  civilization  and 
religious  improvement  of  Hindostan  and  the  Indian 
isles,  and  often  talked  with  Sir  Alexander  Johnston 
of  substituting  Christian  subjects  in  sculpture  for  the 
idols  of  heathenism  in  those  regions.  She  was,  unfor- 
tunately, no  longer  young  enough  for  such  an  enter- 
prise ;  yet  the  idea  was  a  noble  one.  She  executed 
the  bust  of  Nelson  in  marble  for  a  present  to  the  King 
of  Tanjore — a  Hindoo  sovereign  of  power  and  influ- 
ence in  the  south  of  Asia.  That  specimen  of  her  skill 
may  have  tended  to  disseminate  in  that  remote  nation 
a  desire  for  statuary  by  British  artists. 

A  list  of  thirty  of  her  works  has  been  published. 
A  beautiful  bust  of  herself,  executed  by  her  in  marble, 
was  in  the  collection  of  Eichard  Payne  Knight,  and 
was  bequeathed  by  him  to  the  British  Museum.  Her 
group  of  "  The  Death  of  Cleopatra,"  represented  the 
closing  scene  of  Shakspeare's  tragedy.  The  Queen  of 
Egypt,  having  failed  to  excite  the  pity  of  Octavius 
Caesar,  and  resolved  to  follow  her  departed  love,  has 
applied  the  "  venomous  worm  of  Nile"  to  her  breast. 
The  words 

"Come,  mortal  wretch, 
With  thy  sharp  teeth  this  knot  intrinsicate 
Of  life  at  once  untie," 

are  embodied  in  the  expression. 

This  tasteful  composition  was  modeled  in  basso- 
relievo,  and  was  engraved  by  Hellyer  as  a  vignette 
title  to  the  second  volume  of  Boy  dell's  Shakspeare. 


180  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Mrs.  Darner's  health,  declined  in  the  spring  of  1828, 
and  on  the  28th  of  May  she  -departed  this  life,  in  her 
eightieth  year.  She  left  to  her  relative  Sir  Alexander 
Johnston  all  her  works  in  marble,  bronze,  and  terra- 
cotta, and  her  mother's  needle  pictures,  with  directions 
that  her  apron  and  tools  should  be  buried  in  her  coffin, 
and  that  her  manuscript  memoranda  and  correspond- 
ence should  be  destroyed.  She  was  interred  in  the 
church  of  Tunbridge,  Kent. 

Whatever  difference  of  opinion  there  may  be  re- 
specting the  genius  and  works  of  this  sculptress,  there 
can  be  none  in  pronouncing  her  an  extraordinary 
woman.  She  would  have  been  called  "strong-minded" 
in  our  day,  for  she  sent  a  friendly  message  to  Napo- 
leon on  the  eve  of  Waterloo,  canvassed  an  election  for 
Fox,  and  entertained  Queen  Caroline  during  her  trial ! 
In  her  estimation,  genius  and  generous  impulse  were 
above  the  conventionalities  of  birth  and  fashion.  It 
is  difficult  to  estimate  fairly  the  productions  of  a  fa- 
vored child  of  wealth  and  splendor,  and  one  eminent 
for  learning  and  wit.  Her  works  have  been  severely 
criticised,  and  those  who  most  admire  her  independent 
career,  are  disposed  to  deny  her  the  possession  of  great 
originality  and  such  a  practical  knowledge  of  art  as 
would  enable  her  to  finish  with  a  good  degree  of  per- 
fection. It  has  been  remarked,  however,  that  her  con- 
ception was  generally  superior  to  her  execution. 


MARY  MOSES.  181 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Mary  Moser. — Nollekens'  House. — Skill  in  Flower-painting. — The 
Fashions. — Queen  Charlotte. — Patience  Wright. — Birth  in  New 
Jersey. — Quaker  Parents. — Childish  Taste  for  Modeling. — Mar- 
riage.— Widowhood. — Wax  -  modeling. — Rivals  Madame  Tus- 
saud. — Residence  in  England. — Sympathy  with  America  in  Re- 
bellion.— Correspondence  with  Franklin. — Intelligence  conveyed. 
— Freedom  of  Speech  to  Majesty. — Franklin's  Postscript. — "The 
Promethean  Modeler." — Letter  to  Jefferson. — Patriotism.— Art 
the  Fashion. — Aristocratic  lady  Artists. — Princesses  Painting. — 
Lady  Beauclerk. — Walpole's  "Beauclerk  Closet." — Designs  and 
Portrait. — Lady  Lucan. — Her  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare. — Wal- 
pole's Criticism. — Other  Works. — Mary  Benwell  and  others. — 
Anna  Smyters  and  others. — Madame  Prestel. — Mrs.  Grace. — Mrs. 
Wright. — Flower-painters. — Catherine  Read  and  others. — Maria 
Cosway. — Peril  in  Infancy. — Lessons. — Resolution  to  take  the 
Veil. — Visit  to  London. — Marriage. — Cosway's  Painting. — Vanity 
and  Extravagance. — The  beautiful  Italian  Paintress. — Cosway's 
Prudence  and  Management. — Brilliant  evening  Receptions. — 
Aristocratic  Friends. — The  Epigram  on  the  Gate. — Splendid  new 
House  and  Furniture. — Failing  Health. — France  and  Italy. — In- 
stitution at  Lodi. — Singular  Occurrence. — Death  of  Cosway. — 
Return  to  Lodi. — Maria's  Style  and  Works. 

MARY  MOSER. 

THIS  lady,  a  member  of  the  Koyal  Academy  in  Lon- 
don, is  mentioned  by  the  biographers  of  Nollekens  as 
"  skillful  in  painting  flowers,  sarcastic  when  she  held 
the  pen."  She  liked  to  visit  the  illiterate  Kollekens, 
at  whose  house,  with  a  cup  of  tea,  she  occasionally  en- 
joyed the  company  of  Dr.  Johnson.  Smith  does  not 
hesitate  to  charge  her  with  having  set  her  cap  at  Fu- 


182  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

seli,  "but  his  heart,  unfortunately,  had  already  been 
deeply  pierced  by  Angelica  Kauffman." 

She  was  the  daughter  of  a  German  artist  in  enamel- 
ing, but  was  educated  in  England.  She  was  truly 
wonderful  in  flower-pieces.  The  tasteful  decorations 
of  some  new  apartments  in  Windsor  Palace  were  exe- 
cuted by  her  hand. 

While  in  London  she  wrote  thus  to  her  friend  Mrs. 
Lloyd : 

"Come  to  London  and  admire  our  plumes;  we 
sweep  the  sky !  A  duchess  wears  six  feathers,  a  lady 
four,  and  every  milkmaid  one  at  each  corner  of  her 
cap!  *  *  *  Fashion  is  grown  a  monster;  pray  tell 
your  operator  that  your  hair  must  measure  just  three 
quarters  of  a  yard  from  the  extremity  of  one  wing  to 
the  other." 

Queen  Charlotte  took  particular  notice  of  Miss  Moser, 
and  for  a  considerable  time  employed  her  for  the  dec- 
oration of  one  chamber,  which  her  majesty  command- 
ed to  be  called  Miss  Moser's  room,  and  for  which  the 
queen  paid  upward  of  nine  hundred  pounds. 

PATIENCE  WRIGHT. 

This  extraordinary  woman,  as  Dunlap  rightly  calls 
her,  was  born,  like  West,  among  a  people  who  pro- 
fessed to  eschew  all  that  is  imaginative  or  pictorial. 
Her  parents,  who  were  Quakers,  lived  at  Bordentown, 
New  Jersey,  where  Patience  Lovell  was  born  in  1725. 
Her  uncommon  talent  for  imitation  was  shown  long 
before  she  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  any  work  of 
art.  The  dough  meant  for  the  oven,  or  the  clay  found 
near  her  dwelling,  supplied  her  with  materials  out  of 
which  she  moulded  figures  that  bore  a  recognizable 
resemblance  to  human  beings,  and,  ere  long,  to  the 
persons  with  whom  she  was  most  familiar. 


PATIENCE  WRIGHT.  183 

She  married  Joseph  Wright  of  Bordentown  in  1748. 
He  lived  only  nineteen  years.  Before  1772  the  lady 
had  gained  not  a'  little  celebrity  in  some  of  the  cities 
of  the  United  States  for  her  astonishing  likenesses  in 
wax.  A  widow,  with  three  children  dependent  on 
her  for  support,  she  was  obliged  to  seek  a  larger  field 
for  her  efforts.  The  prospect  of  success  in  London 
was  good,  and  to  London  she  went. 

There  is  testimony  in  English  journals  of  the  day 
that  her  works  were  thought  extraordinary  of  their 
kind.  She  bade  fair  to  rival  the  famous  Madame 
Tussaud.  Her  conversational  powers  and  general  in- 
telligence gained  her  the  attention  and  friendship  of 
several  among  the  distinguished  men  of  the  day. 
Though  a  resident  of  England,  her  sympathies  were 
engaged  in  behalf  of  her  countrymen  during  the  strug- 
gle of  the  American  Ee volution.  It  is  said  she  even 
rendered  important  aid  to  the  cause  by  sending  to 
American  officers  intelligence  of  the  designs  of  the 
British  government.  She  corresponded  with  Frank- 
lin while  he  was  in  Paris ;  and  as  soon  as  a  new  gen- 
eral was  appointed,  or  a  squadron  began  to  be  fitted 
out,  he  was  sure  to  know  it.  She  was  often  able  to 
gain  information  in  families  where  she  visited,  and  to 
transmit  to  her  American  friends  accounts  of  the  num- 
ber of  British  troops  and  the  places  of  their  destina- 
tion. 

At  one  time  she  had  frequent  access  to  Buckingham 
House,  and  was  accustomed  to  express  her  sentiments 
freely  to  their  majesties,  who  were  amused  with  her 
originality.  The  great  Chatham  honored  her  with  his 
visits,  and  she  took  the  full-length  likeness  of  him, 
which  appears  in  a  glass  case  in  "Westminster  Abbey. 

The  following  is  the  postscript  to  one  of  Franklin's 


184  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

letters,  offering  service  should  she  return  to  America 
through  France: 

"My  grandson,  whom  you  may  remember  when  a 
little  saucy  boy  at  school,  being  my  amanuensis  in 
writing  the  within  letter,  has  been  diverting  me  with 
his  remarks.  He  conceives  that  your  figures  can  not 
be  packed  up  without  damage  from  any  thing  you 
could  fill  the  boxes  with  to  keep  them  steady.  He 
supposes,  therefore,  that  you  must  put  them  into  post- 
chaises,  two  and  two,  which  will  make  a  long  train 
upon  the  road,  and  be  a  very  expensive  conveyance ; 
but,  as  they  will  eat  nothing  at  the  inns,  you  may  the 
better  afford  it.  When  they  come  to  Dover,  he  is  sure, 
they  are  so  like  life  and  nature,  that  the  master  of  the 
packet  will  not  receive  them  on  board  without  pass- 
ports. It  will  require,  he  says,  five  or  six  of  the  long 
French  stage-coaches  to  convey  them  as  passengers 
from  Calais  to  Paris ;  and  a  ship  with  good  accommo- 
dations to  convey  them  to  America,  where  all  the 

world  will  wonder  at  your  clemency  to  Lord  N , 

that,  having  it  in  your  power  to  hang  or  send  him  to 
the  lighters,  you  had  generously  reprieved  him  for 
transportation." 

Mrs.  Wright  was  sometimes  called  "  Sibylla,"  as  she 
professed  to  foretell  political  events.  In  a  London 
magazine  of  1775  she  is  called  "the  Promethean  mod- 
eler," with  the  remark :  "  In  her  very  infancy  she  dis- 
covered such  a  striking  genius,  and  began  making 
faces  with  new  bread  and  putty  to  such  an  extent 
that  she  was  advised  to  try  her  skill  in  wax." 

Her  likenesses  of  the  king,  queen,  Lord  Temple, 
Lord  Chatham,  Barry,  Wilkes,  and  others,  attracted 
universal  attention.  Critics  gave  her  credit  for  won- 
derful natural  abilities,  and  said  she  would  have  been  a 


PATIENCE  WEIGHT.  185 

miracle  if  the  advantages  of  a  liberal  education  had  fall- 
en to  her  lot.  Noticing  her  quick  and  brilliant  eyes, 
their  glance  was  said  to  "  penetrate  and  dart  through 
the  person  looked  on."  She  had  a  faculty  of  distin- 
guishing the  characters  and  dispositions  of  her  visit- 
ors, and  was  rarely  mistaken  in  her  judgment  of 
them. 

Dunlap  farther  speaks  of  "  an  energetic  wildness  in 
her  manner.  While  conversing  she  was  busy  model- 
ing, both  hands  being  under  her  apron." 

Her  eldest  daughter  married  Mr.  Platt,  an  Ameri- 
can ;  she  inherited  some  of  her  mother's  talents.  She 
became  well  known  in  New  York  about  1787  by  her 
modeling  in  wax.  The  younger  was  the  wife  of  Hopp- 
ner,  the  rival  of  Stuart  and  Lawrence  in  portrait-paint- 
ing. The  young  lady's  sweet  face  may  be  recognized 
in  some  historical  compositions.  The  British  Consul 
at  Venice,  mentioned  by  Moore  in  his  Life  of  Byron, 
was  the  grandson  of  Mrs.  Wright. 

Mrs.  Wright  lost  favor  with  George  III.  by  her 
earnest  reproofs  for  his  sanction  of  the  war  with  Amer- 
ica. She  went  to  Paris  in  1781,  but  was  in  London 
in  1785,  when  she  wrote  to  Jefferson  that  she  was  de- 
lighted that  her  son  Joseph  had  painted  the  best  like- 
ness of  Washington  of  any  painter  in  America.  Wash- 
ington himself  said  he  "  should  think  himself  happy 
to  have  his  bust  done  by  Mrs.  Wright,  whose  uncom- 
mon talents,"  etc. 

She  wished  not  only  to  make  a  likeness  of  the  hero, 
but  of  those  gentlemen  who  had  assisted  at  signing 
the  treaty  of  peace.  "  To  shame  the  English  king," 
she  says,  "I  would  go  to  any  trouble  and  expense,  to 
add  my  mite  to  the  stock  of  honor  due  to  Adams, 
Jefferson,  and  others,  to  send  to  America."  And  she 


186  WOMEtf  ARTISTS. 

offered  to  go  herself  to  Paris  and  mould  the  likeness 
of  Jefferson.  She  wished  to  consult  him  how  best  to 
honor  her  country  by  holding  up  the  likenesses  of  her 
eminent  men,  either  in  painting  or  wax- work;  and 
hinted  at  the  danger  of  sending  Washington's  picture 
to  London,  from  the  enmity  of  the  government  and 
the  espionage  of  the  police ;  the  latter,  she  observes, 
having  "all  the  folly,  without  the  ability,  of  the 
French." 

The  exercise  of  artistic  accomplishment  was  now  so 
popular,  that  culture  in  painting,  drawing,  and  etch- 
ing became  general  in  the  education  of  young  ladies. 
The  fashion  of  patronizing  the  arts,  too,  was  in  vogue 
among  women  of  the  highest  rank.  Lady  Dorothea 
Saville  painted  portraits  and  drew  admirable  sketches. 
Lady  Louisa  de  Greville  and  her  sister  Augusta  were 
ardent  connoisseurs.  The  Countess  Lavinia  Spencer 
was  celebrated  for  her  skill  in  etching ;  and  Lady  Am- 
herst,  Lady  Temple,  and  Lady  Henry  Fitzgerald,  were 
noted  artists. 

Two  princesses  of  the  royal  family  took  pleasure  in 
painting.  Princess  Elizabeth  drew  with  taste  and 
skill.  She  engraved  a  "  Birth  of  Love"  after  Tom- 
kins,  and  produced  several  original  specimens  of  great 
beauty.  One  of  her  fancy -pieces  was  "  Cupid  turned 
Volunteer,"  which  appeared,  in  1804,  in  a  series  of 
prints  engraved  with  poetical  illustrations.  The  de- 
signs were  beautiful.  Three  years  later,  a  series  of 
twenty-four  etchings  by  her  royal  highness  was  pub- 
lished. They  evinced  spirit  and  taste,  and  a  deep 
feeling  for  the  beautiful. 

Charlotte  Matilda,  afterward  Queen  of  Wurtemberg, 
drew  and  painted  landscapes  after  the  manner  of  Wa- 
terloo. 


LADY   BEAUCLERK — LADY   LUCAN.  187 

LADY  DIANA  BEAUCLERK. 

Lady  Diana  Spencer,  the  wife  of  Topham  Beauclerk, 
and  the  daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough,  was 
celebrated  as  an  amateur  artist,  and  produced  draw- 
ings that  gained  the  enthusiastic  admiration  of  Wai- 
pole.  In  1776  he  built  a  hexagonal  tower,  which  he 
called  "  Beauclerk  Closet,"  as  it  was  constructed  "  pur- 
posely for  the  reception  of  seven  incomparable  draw- 
ings by  Lady  Diana,  illustrating  scenes  in  his  l  Myste- 
rious Mother.'  "  They  were  conceived  and  executed 
in  a  fortnight.  In  1796  the  lady  produced  designs  for 
a  translation  of  Burger's  ballad  of  "  Leonore,"  by  her 
nephew,  published  in  folio  the  following  year.  Lady 
Diana  also  finished  a  series  of  designs  for  a  splendid 
edition  of  Dryden's  Fables  in  folio.  These  show  that 
she  possessed  an  elegant  and  fertile  imagination,  with 
a  truly  classic  taste.  In  her  portrait  of  the  Duchess 
of  Devonshire,  the  nymph-like  grace  of  the  figure  is 
like  what  a  Grecian  sculptor  would  give  to  the  form 
of  a  dryad  or  river-goddess. 

She  died  in  1808,  at  the  age  of  seventy -four. 

MARGARET,  COUNTESS  OF  LUCAN, 

possessed  a  remarkable  talent  for  copying  miniatures 
and  illuminations.  She  completed  a  series  of  embel- 
lishments of  Shakspeare's  historical  plays,  in  five  folio 
volumes,  now  preserved  in  the  library  at  Althorp. 
For  sixteen  years  she  devoted  herself  to  the  pursuit, 
indulging  in  "  the  pleasurable  toil"  of  illustrating  that 
great  work.  She  commenced  this  enterprise  when 
fifty  years  of  age,  and  ended  it  at  sixty-six.  Walpole 
says:  " Whatever  of  taste,  beauty,  and  judgment  in 
decoration,  by  means  of  landscapes,  flowers,  birds,  her- 


188  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

aldic  ornaments  and  devices,  etc.,  could  dress  our  im- 
mortal bard  in  a  yet  more  fascinating  form,  has  been 
accomplished  by  a  noble  hand,  which  undertook  a 
Herculean  task,  and  with  a  true  delicacy  and  finish  of 
execution  that  has  been  rarely  equaled." 

Lady  Lucan  also  copied  the  most  exquisite  works 
of  Isaac  and  Peter  Oliver,  Hoskins,  and  Cooper ;  "  with 
genius,"  says  her  admiring  friend,  "that  almost  depre- 
ciated those  masters;"  and  "transferring  the  vigor  of 
Eaphael  to  her  copies  in  water-colors."  She  died  in 
1815. 

The  Countess  of  Tott  exhibited  in  1804  her  portrait 
of  the  famous  Elfi  Bey.  Lord  Orford  speaks  of  Mrs. 
Delany's  skill  in  painting  and  imitating  flowers  with 
cuttings  of  colored  paper.  This  lady  is  mentioned  by 
Madame  d'Arblay,  in  her  Diary,  as  the  queen's  friend, 
the  wife  of  Patrick  Delany,  who  was  the  intimate  friend 
of  Dean  Swift. 

Among  a  host  of  minor  women  artists  may  be  men- 
tioned Mary  Benwell,  who  painted  portraits  and  min- 
iatures in  oil  and  crayons,  exhibited  from  1762  to 
1783.  She  married  Code,  who  was  in  the  army,  and 
purchased  rank  for  him.  He  was  stationed  at  Gibral- 
tar, where  he  died.  Mrs.  Code  retired  from  her  pro- 
fession in  1800.  Miss  Anna  Ladd,  skilled  in  the  same 
branch,  died  in  1770.  Agatha  van  der  Myn  also 
painted  flowers,  fruits,  and  birds  in  England. 

Anna  Smyters,  the  wife  of  a  sculptor  and  architect, 
acquired  celebrity  for  her  miniatures  and  water-color 
paintings.  One,  representing  a  wind-mill  with  sails 
spread,  a  miller  with  his  sack  on  his  shoulder,  a  car- 
riage and  horse,  and  a  road  leading  to  a  village,  was 
complete,  of  a  size  so  small  that  it  could  be  covered 
by  a  grain  of  corn. 


ENGLISH  FEMALE  ARTISTS.  189 

Miss  Anna  Jemima  Provis  was  said  to  have  made 
known  to  some  English  artists  the  receipt  for  coloring 
used  by  the  great  Venetian  masters.  It  had  been 
brought  from  Italy  by  her  grandfather. 

Mrs.  Dards  opened  a  new  exhibition  with  flower- 
paintings,  in  the  richest  colors.  They  were  exact  im- 
itations of  nature,  done  with  fish-bones. 

Mrs.  Hoadley,  wife  of  the  Bishop  of  Winchester, 
was  well  skilled  in  painting.  Caroline  Watson  was 
eminent  in  engraving.  She  was  born  in  London, 
1760.  Keceiving  instruction  from  her  father,  she  en- 
graved several  subjects  in  mezzotinto  and  in  the  dot- 
ted manner.  Her  productions  were  said  to  possess 
great  merit.  Miss  Hartley,  who  etched  admirably,  pre- 
ceded her. 

Maria  Catharine  Prestel  was  the  wife  of  a  German 
painter  and  engraver.  She  aided  him  in  some  of  his 
best  plates,  particularly  landscapes.  The  marriage  was 
not  happy,  and  the  pair  separated.  Madame  Prestel 
came  to  England  in  1786,  where  she  engraved  prints 
in  a  style  surpassed  by  no  artist  for  spirit  and  delicacy. 
She  made  etchings,  and  finished  in  aquatinta  in  a  fine 
picturesque  manner.  She  died  in  London  in  1794. 

Mrs.  Grace  exhibited  her  works  seven  years  in  the 
Society  of  Artists.  They  were  chiefly  portraits  in  oil, 
rather  heavy  in  coloring.  She  attempted  a  historical 
subject  in  1767 :  Antigonus,  Seleucus,  and  Stratonice. 
Her  residence  was  in  London. 

Mrs.  Wright,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Guise — one  of  the 
gentlemen  of  his  majesty's  Chapel  Eoyal  at  St.  James's, 
and  master  of  the  choristers  at  Westminster — was  a 
successful  painter  in  miniature.  She  married,  unfor- 
tunately, a  French  emigrant,  who  shortly  afterward 
left  her,  and  went  to  France,  where  he  died.  Her  sec- 


190  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

ond  husband  was  Mr.  "Wright,  a  miniature-painter. 
She  died  in  1802. 

Fiorillo  also  mentions  Betty  Langley,  Miss  Noel, 
Miss  Linwood,  Miss  Bell,  Madame  Beaurepas,  and  the 
eldest  daughter  of  Smirke  the  academician. 

Walpole  mentions  Elizabeth  Neal  as  a  distinguish- 
ed paintress,  who  went  to  Holland.  She  painted  flow- 
ers so  admirably,  that  she  was  said  to  rival  the  famous 
Zeghers. 

Among  English  flower-painters  should  not  be  for- 
gotten Miss  Elizabeth  Blackwell,  Miss  Gray,  Anna 
Ladd,  Anna  Lee,  and  Mary  Lawrence,  who  busied  her- 
self with  a  splendid  work  on  roses — painting  and  en- 
graving the  illustrations. 

Catherine  Kead  painted  beautiful  family  scenes,  and 
obtained  considerable  reputation  as  a  painter  of  por- 
traits, both  in  oil  and  crayon.  A  crayon,  in  the  pos- 
session of  a  lady  of  New  York,  was  recognized  as  hers 
by  an  eminent  American  painter.  She  lived  near  St. 
James's,  and  frequently  sent  pieces  to  the  exhibition. 
Several  mezzotint  prints  after  her  pictures  were  pub- 
lished. In  1770  she  went  to  the  East  Indies,  staid  a 
few  years,  and  returned  to  England.  Her  niece.  Miss 
Beckson,  also  an  artist,  who  went  with  her  to  the  East 
Indies,  afterward  married  a  baronet. 

Some  of  Anna  Trevingard's  pictures  were  engraved. 
Miss  Drax  and  Miss  Martin  engraved  from  Tomkins 
and  Der  Petit;  Miss  Morland  and  Catharine  Mary 
Fanshawe  drew  and  engraved  twenty  pictures  of  his- 
torical scenes.  The  zealous  and  industrious  Mary 
Spilsbury's  studies  from  country  life,  and  particularly 
those  in  which  she  represented  her  rural  scenes  and 
sports  of  children,  have  been  reproduced  in  engravings. 

It  is  certainly  surprising  that  engraving  and  flower- 


MAEIA  COSWAY.  191 

painting  did  not  boast  at  this  time  a  greater  number 
of  distinguished  followers. 

It  now  becomes  our  task  to  linger  a  moment  over 
the  history  of  a  paintress  whose  genius  and  attainments 
won  for  her  an  enviable  reputation,  and  whose  life  ex- 
perience illustrates  the  condition  and  circumstances  of 
art  amid  the  higher  classes  of  English  society. 

MARIA  COSWAY. 

Maria  Hadfield  was  the  daughter  of  an  Englishman 
who  became  rich  by  keeping  a  hotel  in  Leghorn.  It 
is  said  he  lost  four  children  in  infancy,  and  detected  a 
maid-servant  in  the  avowal  that  she  sent  them  to  heav- 
en out  of  love,  and  meant  that  the  fifth,  Maria,  should 
follow  the  rest.  The  woman  was  imprisoned  for  life, 
and  the  child  was  sent  to  a  convent  to  be  educated. 
There  she  received  lessons  in  music  and  drawing,  in 
common  with  other  branches.  [Returning  home,  she 
devoted  herself  to  painting,  and  the  acquaintance  she 
afterward  formed  at  Home  with  Battomi,  Mengs,  Ma- 
ron,  and  Fuseli,  with  her  contemplation  of  the  works 
of  art  in  churches  and  palaces,  contributed  to  the  far- 
ther development  of  her  talents. 

At  her  father's  death  she  formed  the  resolution  of 
entering  a  cloister,  but  her  mother  persuaded  her  to 
accompany  her  first  to  London.  There  the  young  girl 
became  acquainted  with  the  interesting  and  popular 
Angelica  Kauffman,  who  easily  prevailed  on  her  to 
relinquish  all  idea  of  taking  the  veil. 

The  change  of  resolution  was  followed  not  long  aft- 
erward by  Maria's  marriage  with  Eichard  Cosway,  a 
portrait  and  miniature  painter,  who  occupied  a  high 
position,  and  whose  soft,  pliant,  and  idealized  style 
was  well  adapted  to  please  rich  patrons  whose  van- 


192  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

itj  desired  the  most  favorable  representation.  In  his 
carefully-finished  miniatures  the  most  ordinary  feat- 
ures were  transformed  into  beauty,  and  pale,  watery 
eyes  were  made  to  sparkle  with  intellectual  expression. 
This  faculty  of  beautifying  rendered  him  the  favorite 
of  the  wealthy  and  aristocratic.  He  was,  moreover, 
a  member  of  the  Academy,  and  had  the  honor  of  being 
called  a  friend  by  the  Prince  of  "Wales,  circumstances 
which  contributed  still  more  to  make  him  the  "fash- 
ion." But,  unfortunately,  he  had  not  good  sense 
enough  to  wear  these  honors  meekly.  Vanity  led  him 
into  ridiculous  extravagances.  He  dressed  in  the  ex- 
treme of  the  mode,  and  kept  his  servants  costumed  in 
the  like  absurd  manner ;  he  gave  expensive  entertain- 
ments, and  succeeded  in  drawing  around  him  a  num- 
ber of  frivolous  young  sprigs  of  nobility,  who  would 
do  him  the  favor  of  drinking  his  Champagne  and  scat- 
tering his  money  at  play,  and  the  next  morning  would 
amuse  their  "  set"  by  laughing  heartily  over  the  pre- 
tensions of  the  "parvenu." 

Such  was  the  situation  of  Cosway  when  he  fell  in 
love  with  Maria  Hadfield,  wooed,  and  won  her,  and 
took  his  wife  to  his  magnificently  furnished  house. 
Maria  was  very  young,  and,  having  come  recently 
from  Italy,  was  inexpert  both  in  the  English  language 
and  English  customs.  Her  fashionable  husband  chose 
to  keep  her  strictly  isolated  from  all  society  till  she 
should  learn  to  appear  with  dignity  and  grace  in  the 
distinguished  circles  where  he  meant  she  should  move. 

Meanwhile  he  caused  her  to  complete  her  artistic 
education,  and  to  practice  on  the  lessons  she  received. 
Her  miniatures  soon  gained  such  appreciation  that  the 
highest  praise  was  awarded  to  them  of  all  that  appear- 
ed at  the  Royal  Academy  exhibitions.  Maria  was 


MARIA  COS  WAY.  193 

even  pointed  out  in  the  street  as  the  successful  artist. 
Then  arrived  the  time  when,  in  Cosway's  opinion,  she 
was  fitted  to  become  the  central  point  of  attraction  in 
his  house  for  the  brilliant  society  he  loved. 

Very  soon  the  talk  every  where  was  of  the  young, 
beautiful,  and  gifted  Italian.  Cosway's  receptions  were 
crowded,  and  half  the  carriages  at  his  door  contain- 
ed sitters  ambitious  of  the  honor  of  being  painted  by 
the  hand  of  his  lovely  wife.  Her  portrait  of  the  beau- 
tiful Duchess  of  Devonshire  in  the  character  of  Spen- 
ser's Cynthia  raised  her  to  the  pinnacle  of  reputation. 

Cosway,  however,  was  too  prudent,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  too  proud  to  permit  his  wife  to  be  esteemed  a 
professional  painter,  for  he  knew  well  that  her  pro- 
ductions would  have  greater  value  as  the  work  of  an 
amateur.  To  be  painted  by  her  was  thus  represented 
and  regarded  as  a  special  favor;  and  costly  presents 
were  frequently  added  to  the  customary  payments  for 
her  pictures. 

In  another  matter  the  husband  was  more  indulgent. 
Maria  was  passionately  fond  of  music,  and  he  permit- 
ted her  to  exercise  her  gift  of  song  at  the  brilliant 
companies  invited  to  his  magnificent  abode.  This 
completed  the  enchantment.  Visitors  came  in  such 
numbers  that  the  house  would  scarcely  contain  them ; 
and  all  who  were  fashionable,  or  had  any  aristocratic 
pretensions,  were  sure  to  be  found  in  Cosway's  draw- 
ing-rooms. There  would  be  the  poet  whose  latest  ef- 
fusion was  the  rage  in  high  circles ;  the  author  of  the 
last  sensation-speech  in  Parliament ;  any  rising  star  in 
art,  or  any  hero  of  a  wonderful  adventure ;  in  short, 
all  the  lions  of  London  were  gathered  in  that  place  of 
resort,  to  see  and  to  be  seen,  and,  above  all,  to  listen 
to  the  charming  Cosway.  The  Honorable  Mrs.  Da- 

I 


194  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

mer,  Lady  Lyttleton,  the  Countess  of  Aylesbury,  Lady 
Cecilia  Johnston,  and  the  Marchioness  of  Townshend, 
were  Maria's  most  intimate  friends,  and  were  usually 
present  to  add  splendor  to  her  receptions ;  while  among 
the  men  were  General  Paoli,  Lords  Sandys  and  Er- 
skine,  and  his  royal  highness  the  Prince  of  Wales,  the 
foreign  embassadors  being  also  invited  upon  special 
occasions. 

The  mansion  in  Pall  Mall  was  soon  found  too  small 
to  accommodate  such  an  influx  of  visitors,  and  to  dis- 
play its  master's  works  and  finery.  A  new  one  was 
taken  in  Oxford  Street. 

Several  of  Cosway's  biographers  mention  the  fact 
that  the  figure  of  a  lion  beside  the  entrance  put  it  into 
some  wag's  head  to  stick  on  the  door  an  epigram  that 
had  a  severe  point,  as  the  foppish  little  painter  was 
"not  much  unlike  a  monkey  in  the  face :" 

"When  a  man  to  a  fair  for  a  show  brings  a  lion, 
'Tis  usual  a  monkey  the  sign-post  to  tie  on ; 
But  here  the  old  custom  reversed  is  seen, 
For  the  lion's  without,  and  the  monkey's  within." 

The  artist  left  the  house  in  consequence  of  this  fool- 
ish joke,  and  fitted  up  another  in  the  same  street,  with 
the  magnificence  of  a  fairy  palace.  The  author  of 
"Nollekens  and  his  Times"  says: 

"His  new  house  he  fitted  up  in  so  picturesque, 
and,  indeed,  so  princely  a  style,  that  I  regret  drawings 
were  not  made  of  the  general  appearance  of  each  apart- 
ment ;  for  many  of  the  rooms  were  more  like  scenes 
of  enchantment,  penciled  by  a  poet's  fancy,  than  any 
thing  perhaps  before  displayed  in  a  domestic  habita- 
tion. His  furniture  consisted  of  ancient  chairs,  couch- 
es, and  conversation-stools,  elaborately  carved  and  gilt, 
and  covered  with  the  most  costly  Genoa  velvets ;  es- 


MARIA  COSWAY.  195 

critoirs  of  ebony,  inlaid  with  mother-of-pearl;  and 
rich  caskets  for  antique  gems,  exquisitely  enameled, 
and  adorned  with  onyxes,  opals,  rubies,  and  emeralds. 
There  were  also  cabinets  of  ivory,  curiously  wrought ; 
mosaic  tables  set  with  jasper,  blood-stone,  and  lapis 
lazuli,  having  their  feet  carved  into  the  claws  of  lions 
and  eagles;  screens  of  old  raised  Oriental  Japan; 
massive  musical  clocks,  richly  chased  with  ormolu 
and  tortoise-shell ;  ottomans  superbly  damasked ;  Per- 
sian and  other  carpets,  with  corresponding  hearth-rugs, 
bordered  with  ancient  family  crests,  and  armorial  en- 
signs in  the  centre ;  and  rich  hangings  of  English 
tapestry.  The  carved  chimney-pieces  were  adorned 
with  the  choicest  bronzes,  models  in  wax,  and  terra- 
cotta; the  tables  were  covered  with  old  Sevre,  blue 
Mandarin,  Nankin,  and  Dresden  China ;  and  the  cab- 
inets were  surmounted  with  crystal  cups,  adorned  with 
the  York  and  Lancaster  roses,  which  might  probably 
have  graced  the  splendid  banquets  of  the  proud  "Wol- 
sey." 

But  splendor,  fashionable  position,  success  as  an  art- 
ist, and  the  friendship  of  princes  and  nobles  could  not 
make  Richard  Cosway  happy.  He  saw  the  sneers  lurk- 
ing beneath  the  smiles  of  his  aristocratic  guests,  and  he 
heard  the  rumor  that  he  was  accused  by  other  artists 
of  using  his  talents  to  flatter  the  great,  whose  fleeting 
favor  could  not,  after  all,  confer  upon  him  lasting  repu- 
tation. Maria's  health,  too,  began  to  fail ;  and,  as  the 
London  climate  was  no  longer  endurable  for  her,  her 
husband  took  her  to  travel  on  the  Continent.  They 
went  to  Paris  and  Flanders.  One  day,  as  they  walk- 
ed in  the  Gallery  of  the  Louvre,  Cosway  pointed  to 
the  naked  wall,  and  said  his  cartoons  would  look  well 
in  that  place.  He  presented  them  to  the  French  king, 


196  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

who  accepted  and  hung  them  up,  giving  the  painter 
in  return  four  splendid  pieces  of  Gobelin  tapestry, 
which  Cosway  presented  to  the  Prince  of  Wales. 

With  improved  health,  Mrs.  Cosway  returned  to 
England  and  resumed  her  brilliant  parties.  But  her 
spirits  again  failing,  she  accompanied  her  brother  to 
Italy,  expecting  her  husband  to  join  her. 

Three  years'  residence  in  that  soft  clime  quite  re- 
stored her  health,  and  she  set  out  on  her  return  to  Lon- 
don. A  new  and  terrible  trial  awaited  her  there :  she 
was  called  to  mourn  the  death  of  her  only  daughter. 

Again  she  departed  for  France,  and,  after  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  war  between  that  country  and  England, 
pursued  her  journey  to  Italy.  She  established  at  Lodi 
a  college  for  the  education  of  young  ladies  on  a  plan 
she  had  arranged  for  a  similar  institution  at  Lyons. 

On  the  establishment  of  peace  she  returned  to  En- 
gland, and  became  the  tender  nurse  of  her  invalid 
husband,  trying  to  solace  the  weary  hours  which  were 
passed  in  weakness  and  pain. 

Upon  Mrs.  Cos  way's  return,  Smith  informs  us,  "she 
had  caused  the  body  of  their  departed  child,  which 
her  husband  had  preserved  in  an  embalmed  state  with- 
in a  marble  sarcophagus  that  stood  in  the  drawing- 
room  of  his  house  in  Stratford  Place,  to  be  conveyed 
to  Bunhill  Eow,  where  it  was  interred,  sending  the 
sarcophagus  to  Mr.  Nollekens,  the  sculptor,  to  take 
care  of  for  a  time.  It  is  a  curious  coincidence  that 
the  same  hour  this  sarcophagus  was  removed  from  Mr. 
Nolleken's  residence,  Mr.  Cosway  died  in  the  carriage 
of  his  old  friend,  Miss  Udney,  who  had  been  accustom- 
ed, during  his  infirm  state,  occasionally  to  give  him 
an  airing,"  and  had  taken  him  out  that  morning,  as 
the  weather  was  fine. 


MAEIA  COSWAY.  197 

Maria  heard  the  sound  of  the  returning  wheels,  and, 
hastening  down  to  receive  her  husband,  found  only 
his  lifeless  corpse.  He  had  died  suddenly,  upon  a 
third  and  last  attack  of  paralysis,  July  4, 1821,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty. 

The  widow  returned  to  Lodi,  where  her  ladies'  col- 
lege was  still  flourishing.  The  place  was  endeared  to 
her  by  many  happy  memories,  and  there  she  was  loved 
and  respected  by  a  large  circle  of  friends.  She  died 
in  1821. 

In  her  style  Mrs.  Cosway  appears  to  have  taken 
much  from  Flaxman  and  Fuseli.  In  many  of  her 
works  something  fantastic  is  embodied,  which  is  asso- 
ciated with  more  of  the  wild  and  terrible  than  we  us- 
ually find  in  the  creations  of  a  mind  at  ease.  No 
doubt  her  inconsolable  grief  for  the  loss  of  her  child 
was  the  cause  of  this  unfeminine  peculiarity.  She 
originated  compositions  from  Virgil  and  Homer,  as 
well  as  from  Spenser  and  Shakspeare. 

The  engraving  from  a  portrait  of  Maria  Cosway  rep- 
resents her  in  the  bloom  of  youth,  with  a  profusion  of 
light  hair  dressed  after  the  then  prevailing  mode. 
The  fresh  and  delicate  loveliness  of  the  face  is  most 
attractive,  and  there  is  a  wonderful  beauty  in  the  large, 
soft  eyes,  and  the  artless  innocence  that  beams  in  their 
expression.  The  celebrated  Mrs.  Cowley,  in  a  letter 
to  her,  thus  speaks  of  her  portrait:  "  If  you  can  draw 
every  body  as  justly  as  the  fair  Maria  Cosway,  you 
will  be  the  first  portrait-painter  in  the  kingdom." 

She.  painted  a  portrait  of  Madame  Le  Brun.  One 
of  her  latest  works  was  a  picture  representing  Mad- 
ame Eecamier  as  a  guardian  angel  watching  a  slum- 
bering child.  "  The  Winter's  Day,"  in  twelve  pieces, 
was  a  series  by  her,  and  she  also  published  a  book  of 


198  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

drawings  jointly  with  Hopner.  Her  "Lama,"  exhib- 
ited at  the  Eoyal  Academy  in  1788,  showed  a  female 
figure  reclining  by  a  stream;  and  the  striking  like- 
ness to  Mrs.  Fitzherbert  caused  no  little  sensation. 

MADAME  TUSSAUD. 

Madame  Tussaud's  famous  wax- work  collection  was 
first  opened  in  Paris  about  1770,  by  M.  Courcius,  her 
uncle.  Though  consisting  then  chiefly  of  busts,  with  a 
few  fall-length  figures,  it  attracted  much  attention  as 
a  novelty ;  and  Louis  XYI.  was  wont  to  amuse  him- 
self by  placing  living  figures,  costumed,  among  the 
wax  ones.  In  1802  Madame  Tussaud  opened  her  ex- 
hibition in  London ;  afterward  visiting  all  the  large 
towns  in  Great  Britain.  Her  rooms  were  large  and 
splendidly  decorated,  and  her  figures  were  magnifi- 
cently dressed — some  in  their  own  royal  robes,  with 
crowns,  stars,  orders,  and  regal  finery.  Among  the 
historical  groups  is  one  of  Henry  VIII.  and  his  fami- 
ly. The  exhibition  is  still  kept  up  in  the  largest  sa- 
loon in  Europe,  more  than  forty  persons  being  kept 
constantly  employed  in  the  care  of  it. 


CLOSE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  AGE.  199 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE'  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Close  of  the  golden  Age  of  Art  in  Trance. — Corruption  of  Manners. 
— Influence  of  female  Genius. — Reign  of  Louis  XVI. — Female 
Energy  in  the  Revolution. — Charlotte  Corday. — Greater  Number 
of  female  Artists  in  Germany. — Reasons  why. — French  Women 
devoted  to  Engraving. — Stamp-cutters. — A  Sculptress  enamored. 
— A  few  Paintresses. — The  Number  increasing. — Influence  of  the 
great  French  Masters. — Sevres-painting. — Genre-painting. — Dis- 
ciples of  Greuze. — Portrait-painting  in  vogue. — Caroline  Sattler. 
— Flower-painters,  etc. — Engravers. — Two  eminent  Paintresses. — 
Adelaide  Vincent. — Marriage. — Portraits  and  other  Works. — The 
Revolution. — Elizabeth  Le  Brim. — Talent  for  Painting. — Her  Fa- 
ther's Delight. — Instruction. — Friendship  with  Vernet. — Poverty 
and  Labor. — Avaricious  Step-father. — Her  Earnings  squandered. 
— Success  and  Temptation. — Acquaintance  with  Le  Brun. — Ma- 
ternal Counsels  to  Marriage. — Secret  Marriage. — Warnings  too 
late. — The  Mask  falls. — Luxury  for  the  Husband,  Labor  and  Pri- 
vation for  the  Wife. — Success  and  Scandal. — French  Society. — 
Friendship  with  Marie  Antoinette. — La  Harpe's  Poem. — Evening 
Receptions. — Splendid  Entertainments. — Scarcity  of  Seats. — Petits 
Soupers. — The  Grecian  Banquet. — Reports  concerning  it. — De- 
parture from  France. — Triumphal  Progress. — Reception  in  Bologna. 
— In  Rome. — In  Naples. — In  Florence. — Madame  Le  Brun's  Por- 
trait— Goethe's  Remarks. — New  Honors. — Reception  at  Vienna. 
— An  old  Friend  in  Berlin. — Residence  in  Russia. — Return  to 
France. — Loyalty. — Her  Pictures. — Death  of  her  Husband  and 
Daughter. —  Advanced  Age. — Autobiography. — An  emblematic 
Life. 

THE  golden  age  of  French  literature  and  art  came 
to  a  close  with  the  life  of  Louis  XIV.  A  shadow  only 
of  that  fortunate  epoch  lingered  during  the  years  suc- 
ceeding, and  the  general  corruption  of  manners  soon 
obliterated  even  that.  But  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XV. 


200  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

were  glimpses  of  a  better  state  of  things,  and  the  in- 
fluence of  female  genius  and  merit  was  apparent,  as  a 
long  list  of  names  in  literature  can  testify.  Vice  held 
sway,  however,  in  the  latter  years  of  this  monarch,  and 
hypocrisy  became  the  only  homage  paid  by  the  court 
to  virtue. 

The  sceptre  passed  into  the  hands  of  Louis  XVI.,  a 
feeble  prince,  whose  virtues  were  those  of  the  man, 
not  the  sovereign.  When  the  throne  was  shattered, 
and  revolution  broke  out,  the  women  of  France  re- 
gained their  energy.  They  were  heroines  under  the 
sway  of  the  Decemvirs.  What  self-sacrifice,  for  exam- 
ple, can  outshine  that  of  Charlotte  Corday — the  greater 
than  Brutus?  And  what  was  begun  by  a  woman,  a 
woman  completed:  Madame  Cabarrus  shared  in  the 
glory  of  those  great  events !  Those  days  had  writers, 
too,  whom  posterity  has  crowned  with  the  garland 
woven  by  their  contemporaries. 
—  In  comparing  woman's  progress  and  her  cultivation 
of  art  in  France  with  those  of  other  nations,  and  espe- 
cially the  German,  we  may  notice  important  differ- 
ences. The  number  of  female  artists  was  far  greater 
in  Germany,  perhaps  because  many  cities  in  that  land 
were  central  points,  affording  employment  to  labor, 
and  appreciation  to  those  who  devoted  themselves  to 
the  profession ;  whereas  in  France  Paris  alone  was  the 
great  rendezvous.  There  were,  also,  several  branches 
of  art  cultivated  in  Germany  which  in  France  were 
little  practiced  by  women,  such  as  landscape-painting, 
for  instance.  The  French  women  devoted  themselves 
much  more  to  engraving  than  in  Germany ;  in  fact, 
engravers  formed  the  majority  of  female  artists  in 
France,  where,  moreover,  female  effort  was  more  in  a 
strictly  business  line  than  in  any  other  country.  With 


FEMALE  AETISTS   IN  FRANCE.  201 

this  professional  devotion  among  the  women  engravers 
in  France,  it  follows  that  there  were  few  amateurs; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  those  in  Germany  and  En- 
gland who  handled  the  implements  of  art  as  dilettanti 
were  very  numerous. 

Glancing  over  the  prominent  Frenchwomen  who 
enjoyed  a  reputation  among  their  contemporaries  dur- 
ing the  eighteenth  century,  we  may  notice  the  stamp- 
cutters  Marie  Anne  de  St.  Urbin  and  Elise  Lesueur, 
with  the  sculptress  Mademoiselle  Collot,  who  afterward 
married  Falconnet,  and  assisted  him  in  the  completion 
of  the  statue  of  Peter  the  Great.  She  was  said  to  be 
enamored  of  the  czar,  and  to  have  executed  the  finest 
bust  of  him  extant.  The  female  painters  of  this  pe- 
riod are  but  little  known.  In  the  early  part  of  the 
century,  Lucrece  Catherine  de  la  Ronde  and  Elizabeth 
Gauthier  engraved  after  Edelinck  and  Langlais.  Ma- 
rie Catherine  Herault  accompanied  her  husband,  the 
painter  Silvestre,  to  Dresden ;  and  Genevieve  Blan- 
chot,  and  the  Dames  Godefroy  and  Davin,  among 
others  less  noted,  complete  the  list  during  the  first 
half  of  the  century. 

The  number  of  devotees  to  art,  however,  was  rap- 
idly increasing,  as  the  ateliers  of  Eegnault,  David,  and 
Redoute  could  bear  witness,  when  they  became  cen- 
tral points  of  reunion  for  female  enterprise  and  study. 

The  influence  of  those  celebrated  men,  whose  fair 
scholars  have  exercised  their  talents  in  the  nineteenth 
century,  brought  more  into  vogue  the  tender  and  emo- 
tional kind  of  genre-painting,  shown  by  Greuze  and 
Fragonard  to  be  so  well  adapted  to  the  taste  and  the 
feeling  of  woman.  Marguerite  Gerard,  the  sister-in- 
law  and  pupil  of  Fragonard,  in  this  manner  painted 
scenes  of  domestic  life  and  family  groups  with  much 

T2 


202  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

grace  and  repose.  A  Madame  Gerard  has  been  men- 
tioned as  a  dilettante,  who  possessed  a  large  fortune, 
and  had  a  hotel  furnished  with  facilities  for  painting 
Sevres.  Her  splendid  cupboards  of  polished  mahog- 
any were  gilded  and  bronzed,  and  their  contents 
looked  like  a  rich  collection  for  the  gratification  of 
taste  rather  than  for  sale.  She  purchased  some  pieces 
for  sixty  and  eighty  louis-d'ors.  A  pair  of  vases,  not 
very  large,  painted  with  sacred  subjects,  sold  for 
twenty -six  thousand  livres. 

The  genre  style  was  practiced  by  Mademoiselle 
Duquesnoy  and  Madame  Gois.  Greuze's  manner  was 
also  imitated  by  his  wife,  Anna  Gabrielle,  with  Marie 
Genevieve  Brossard  de  Beaulieu,  who  had  the  honor 
of  membership  in  the  Academies  of  Paris  and  Eome. 

Other  disciples  of  this  school  entered  into  their  pro- 
fession after  the  commencement  of  the  nineteenth 
century ;  and  they,  with  the  pupils  of  Eegnault,  Ke- 
doute,  and  David,  belong  to  a  later  period  than  that 
under  discussion. 

Portrait-painting  was  more  in  vogue  than  any  other 
kind,  and  that  almost  altogether  in  oil ;  while  minia- 
ture-painting, so  much  in  favor  among  the  women  of 
Germany,  was  in  France  much  less  practiced.  Among 
those  who  gained  some  celebrity,  Caroline  Sattler  de- 
serves mention.  She  studied  in  Paris,  and  was  not 
only  received  as  a  member  of  the  Academy  in  that 
city,  but  was  honored  with  the  title  of  Professor. 
Some  time  afterward  she  gave  her  hand  to  a  merchant 
named  Tridon,  and  went  to  live  in  Dresden. 

Landscape-painting  was  practiced  by  very  few  wom- 
en. In  flower-painting  Madeleine  Francoise  Basseporte 
was  noted.  She  was  born  in  1701,  received  her  in- 
struction from  Aubriet,  and  in  1743  succeeded  him  in 


ENGRAVERS.  203 

his  official  appointment  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes.  She 
painted  a  series  of  pieces  for  the  collection  of  the  Due 
Graston  d' Orleans,  which  are  still  exhibited  as  master- 
works  of  art. 

Madame  Kugler,  the  wife  of  Yon  Weyler,  painted 
the  portraits  of  distinguished  persons  in  ivory,  and  had 
fine  pieces,  in  enamel  and  pastel,  in  the  exhibition  in 
1789.  She  was  employed  by  the  government,  and 
worked  after  her  husband's  plans.  For  twelve  years 
she  was  distinguished  for  her  labors. 

Mesdames  Charpentier,  Surigny,  Capet,  Bruyere, 
Michaud,  Davin,  Mirnaux,  Anzon,  and  Benoit — who 
painted  the  emperor — were  also  well  known  as  artists. 

Susanna  Silvestre  came  of  a  French  family  of  paint- 
ers. She  copied  heads  and  portraits  after  Yandyck. 

As  to  the  class  of  women,  already  noticed,  who  em- 
braced the  profession  of  engravers,  they  were  almost 
innumerable;  yet  it  is  difficult  to  select  any  who 
merit  special  attention.  One  of  the  number — Mar- 
guerite Leconte — about  the  middle  of  the  century 
was  a  member  of  Art-academies  in  Home,  Florence, 
and  Bologna,  and  enjoyed  a  position  of  high  dis- 
tinction. Genevieve  Naugis,  born  in  Paris  in  1746, 
worked  before  she  became  the  wife  of  Eegnault.  She 
copied  plants  from  nature,  and  engraved  in  copper ; 
she  also  copied  history-pieces  after  different  masters. 

Fanny  Yernet  engraved  the  pictures  painted  by  her 
husband,  Charles  Yernet;  and,  in  her  son  Horace, 
gave  to  French  art  one  of  its  greatest  ornaments. 

Elizabeth  Clara  Tardieu  was  the  wife  of  an  eminent 
French  engraver,  and  was  accustomed  to  practice  the 
art  herself  with  success. 

Mary  Magdalen  Hortemels,  the  daughter  of  a  French 
engraver,  and  the  wife  of  Cochin,  was  a  noted  engraver. 


204  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

She  executed  with  the  point  and  finished  with  the 
graver,  in  a  light  and  pleasing  style.  Several  of  the 
plates  for  Monicart's  treatise  on  the  pictures,  statues, 
etc.,  at  Versailles  were  done  by  her. 

Marie  Kosalie  Bertaud  and  Louise  Adelaide  Boizot 
were  excellent  engravers. 

Anne  Philibert  Coulet  was  an  ingenious  engraver 
of  landscapes  and  marine  views ;  she  wrought  in  a 
delicate  and  pleasing  style. 

We  will  now  throw  back  a  look  upon  two  female 
painters,  who  won  for  themselves  a  nearly  equal  re- 
nown, and  who  are  admirably  adapted — each  in  her 
own  personal  history,  and  the  view  of  her  early  efforts 
—to  be  representatives  of  the  condition  and  character- 
istics of  French  art  at  that  period ;  and,  withal,  of  the 
prevalent  state  of  society.  These  women  are  Adelaide 
Vincent  and  Louise  Elise  Le  Brun. 

ADELAIDE  VINCENT. 

Adelaide  Vertus  Labille  was  born  in  Paris  in  1749, 
and  received  her  earliest  lessons  in  painting  in  that 
city,  from  J.  E.  Vincent,  of  Geneva.  This  artist  had 
come  to  Paris  a  short  time  before  her  birth,  had  gained 
consideration  as  a  painter  of  miniature  portraits,  and 
was  received  a  member  of  the  Academy.  Adelaide's 
teacher  in  pastel-painting  was  at  first  Latour;  but 
when  the  son  of  her  childhood's  master — Francois 
Antoine  Vincent,  who  had  shared  her  studies  in  his 
father's  atelier,  as  a  boy,  three  years  older  than  herself 
— came  back  to  Paris,  she  determined  to  join  him  both 
in  the  pursuit  of  art  and  the  journey  of  life.  Her  first 
husband  had  been  M.  Guyard ;  her  second  was  the 
younger  Vincent. 

Adelaide  painted  a  great  number  of  portraits,  among 


ADELAIDE  VINCENT.  205 

which  those  of  artists  were  most  noted.  One  of  these 
— the  portrait  of  the  sculptor  Gois — won  the  prize 
offered  by  the  Academy,  and  gained  for  the  fair  artist 
such  celebrity  that  even  the  works  of  her  famous  rival 
Madame  Le  Brun  were  thought  inferior  to  it. 

A  distinguished  mark  of  appreciation  was  the  ap- 
pointment of  Madame  Vincent  as  regular  member  of 
the  Academy;  this  took  place  on  the  31st  March, 
1781.  When  the  storm  of  the  Revolution  burst  upon 
France  she  adhered  to  the  party  of  her  husband, 
whose  attachment  to  the  royal  family  caused  him  to 
live  in  continual  hostility  with  the  republican  painter 
David.  One  of  her  works  was  a  large  picture,  in 
which  the  figures  were  of  life  size,  representing  herself 
before  the  easel,  and  her  pupils  around  her;  among 
them  Mademoiselle  Capet,  the  Duchess  of  Angouleme, 
and  several  other  members  of -the  royal  family,  by 
whom  she  was  greatly  esteemed  and  frequently  em- 
ployed. 

Another  of  her  greatest  productions  represents  the 
reception  of  a  member  into  the  Order  of  St.  Lazarus, 
by  Monsieur,  the  king's  brother,  grand  master  of  the 
order,  who  had  given  her  the  appointment  of  court 
painter.  This  picture  was  destroyed  during  the  Kevo- 
lution,  and  its  loss  caused  the  artist  so  much  vexation 
that  she  would  rarely  touch  the  brush  afterward. 
Among  her  subsequent  productions,  a  portrait  of  her 
husband  was  celebrated  at  the  time. 

This  accomplished  woman,  crowned  with  honors  by 
her  contemporaries,  both  as  an  artist  and  in  social  life, 
and  esteemed  by  a  large  circle  of  friends,  died  in  1803. 


206  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

ELIZABETH  LE  BRTJN. 

The  other  distinguished  artist  alluded  to  is  Marie 
Louise  Elizabeth  Yigee,  who,  under  her  married  name, 
Le  Brun,  is  widely  known  as  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
women  belonging  to  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth 
centuries. 

She  was  born  in  Paris,  April  16th,  1755.  Her  fa- 
ther was  a  skillful  portrait-painter,  and,  amid  the 
sports  of  childhood  in  her  home,  she  became  acquaint- 
ed with  the  principles  that  form  the  ground- work  of 
this  art.  She  showed  very  early  both  disposition  and 
talents  for  painting.  When  only  seven  or  eight  years 
of  age  she  drew  a  sketch  of  a  bearded  man,  which  when 
her  father  saw,  recognizing  it  as  a  token  of  the  pres- 
ence of  genius,  he  exclaimed,  rapturously,  "  You  shall 
be  a  painter,  my  daughter,  or  there  never  was  one  1" 

Elizabeth  long  remembered  this  occurrence,  and,  in 
her  memoir  of  herself,  speaks  of  the  deep  impression 
made  upon  her  childish  feelings  by  the  praises  her  fa- 
ther lavished  on  this  early  production. 

The  lessons  she  received  at  home  were  soon  found 
insufficient  for  her  rapidly-developing  talent.  She 
was  introduced,  as  a  pupil  in  drawing,  to  Briard,  a 
painter  of  considerable  merit,  who  excelled  in  outline 
and  sketching.  Her  teacher  in  coloring  was  Davesne, 
after  whom  a  picture  of  Marie  Antoinette  as  Dauphine 
of  France  was  engraved.  The  celebrated  Joseph  Yer- 
net,  then  in  the  midst  of  his  brilliant  career,  gave  her 
valuable  advice,  and  always  took  a  fatherly  interest 
in  the  gifted  child.  Her  own  father  died  when  she 
was  only  thirteen  years  old,  but  her  mother  permitted 
her  to  continue  her  studies  of  the  great  masters  in  the 
public  galleries. 


ELIZABETH  LE  BRUN.  207 

Here  the  maiden  copied  from  the  mighty  works  of 
Rubens,  from  the  portraits  of  Eembrandt  and  Van- 
dyck,  and  from  the  delicate  and  charming  female 
heads  of  Greuze.  Thus  the  ground- work  was  laid  of 
her  future  eminence  as  a  colorist,  and  it  was  not  long 
ere  she  was  sufficiently  advanced  to  make  considera- 
ble profit  out  of  her  labors. 

Her  father  had  left  no  property  at  his  death,  and 
her  mother  had  been  too  long  accustomed  to  a  bril- 
liant and  luxurious  Parisian  life  not  to  feel  privations 
sorely.  She  sought  the  means  of  indulgence  in  her 
accustomed  pleasures  by  availing  herself  of  the  talents 
of  her  daughter,  who  now  found  herself  obliged  to 
support  the  family  with  her  earnings. 

Even  when  the  mother  entered  into  a  second  mar- 
riage, some  years  later,  the  condition  of  things  was 
not  improved.  Madame  Vige'e,  wedded  to  a  rich  jew- 
eler, found  herself  disappointed  in  the  expectation  of 
increased  means  to  minister  to  her  vanity  and  extrav- 
agance. From  the  day  of  the  bridal  the  husband 
showed  himself  so  avaricious  and  penurious,  that  he 
refused  to  furnish  his  wife  and  step-daughter  even  the 
necessaries  of  life. 

The  labors  of  our  poor  little  Elizabeth  were  again 
in  requisition ;  and  though  her  old  friend  Yernet  ad- 
vised her  to  give  her  parents  only  an  allowance  from 
her  earnings,  and  reserve  the  remainder  for  her  own 
use,  all  she  could  procure  was  taken  from  her  and 
spent,  either  in  the  purchase  of  articles  for  the  family, 
or  for  the  gratification  of  her  mother's  unbounded  fond* 
ness  for  dress,  promenades,  and  public  amusements. 

Wherever  the  youthful  maiden  appeared  she  was 
noticed  for  her  extreme  beauty,  as  well  as  talked  about 
for  her  wonderful  talents,  and  the  general  interest  in 


208  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

her  professional  career  seemed  to  go  hand  in  hand 
with  admiration  of  her  rare  personal  loveliness.  She 
tells  us,  in  her  memoirs,  of  several  men  enamored  of 
her,  who  bespoke  portraits  from  her  hand  in  the  hope, 
during  the  sittings,  of  making  progress  in  her  favor ; 
but  her  love  for  art,  as  well  as  the  principles  of  mo- 
rality and  religion  in  which  she  had  been  reared,  ren- 
dered her  proof  against  all  such  attempts  to  undermine 
her  virtue. 

When  only  fifteen  years  old  she  painted  a  portrait 
of  her  mother,  which  proved  so  admirable  a  piece  of 
work  that  Yernet  counseled  her  to  present  it  to  the 
Academy  with  an  application  for  admission.  Eliza- 
beth's extreme  youth  prevented  her  being  received  as 
a  member,  but  she  was  permitted,  a  few  years  later, 
to  be  present  at  all  the  public  sittings  of  the  Academy. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  she  became  acquainted 
with  Jean  Baptiste  Pierre  Le  Brun,  a  painter  and  pic- 
ture-dealer, who  was  then  considered  one  of  the  first 
connoisseurs  of  Europe.  He  paid  devoted  attention  to 
the  lovely  young  artist,  inducing  her  to  visit  his  rare 
and  rich  collection  for  the  purpose  of  study,  wh'ile  he 
manifested  the  deepest  interest  in  her  success.  Six 
months  after  his  introduction  he  became  a  suitor  for 
her  hand.  She  says,  in  her  autobiography, 

"  I  was  far  from  the  thought  of  marrying  M.  Le 
Brun,  although  he  possessed  a  handsome  face  and 
agreeable  person ;  but  my  mother,  who  imagined  him 
very  rich,  never  ceased  urging  me  not  to  refuse  so  ad- 
vantageous a  proposal.  So  at  length  I  yielded ;  but 
the  marriage  was  only  an  exchange  of  one  kind  of 
trouble  for  another.  Not  that  M.  Le  Brun  was  a  bad- 
hearted  man.  His  character  showed  a  mixture  of 
softness  and  vehemence ;  and  his  complaisance  to  ev- 


ELIZABETH  LE  BRUN.  209 

ery  one  made  liim  popular.  But  lie  was  unhappily 
too  fond  of  the  society  of  disreputable  females,  and 
this  degrading  propensity  led  him  to  a  passion  for 
gaming  that  ruined  both  of  us  in  point  of  fortune.  So 
completely  had  he  run  through  all  we  possessed,  that 
in  1789  I  had  not  twenty  francs  for  my  journey  out  of 
France,  although  my  earnings  had  amounted  to  more 
than  a  million." 

The  marriage,  which  on  the  husband's  part  was  a 
mere  matter  of  speculation,  for  he  relied  on  the  talents 
of  his  bride  to  rid  him  of  his  creditors,  and  enable  him 
to  live  in  ease  and  luxury,  was  one  of  those  alliances 
common  in  Paris  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XV.  The  ex- 
perience of  our  heroine  was  characteristic  of  the  times. 
Le  Brun  had  been  previously  engaged  to  the  daughter 
of  a  wealthy  Dutch  picture-dealer,  with  whom  he  had 
transacted  business.  He  begged  his  wife  to  keep  their 
marriage  a  secret  till  his  former  business  arrangements 
were  satisfactorily  adjusted.  Madame  consented,  al- 
though she  was  placed  in  a  most  painful  position,  be- 
ing beset  with  warnings  and  entreaties  from  her 
friends,  urging  her  not  to  enter  into  a  union  sure  to 
be  productive  of  unhappiness — when,  alas !  the  mis- 
chief was  already  accomplished.  The  Duchesse  d'Ar- 
emberg  predicted  misery  as  the  result  of  such  a  mar- 
riage ;  the  court  jeweler,  Auber,  a  friend  of  her  youth, 
advised  her  "  rather  to  tie  a  stone  round  her  neck  and 
throw  herself  into  the  river  than  to  commit  such  a 
piece  of  folly  and  madness." 

The  young  wife,  however,  still  kept  her  faith  in  the 
excellence  of  her  beloved.  At  last  the  completion  of 
his  business  arrangements  enabled  him  to  declare  the 
marriage  publicly,  and  very  soon  it  appeared  that  all 
these  warnings  were  but  too  well  founded.  Le  Brun 


210  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

first  took  possession  of  all  the  hard-earned  property  of 
his  wife,  and  compelled  her  to  increase  her  income  by 
taking  pupils.  The  sole  advantage  this  accession  of 
means  procured  for  her  was  the  more  active  and  in- 
cessant employment  that  prevented  her  from  feeling 
too  bitterly  the  disappointment  of  her  hopes  of  happi- 
ness in  domestic  life.  Her  husband  took  the  money 
paid  for  her  pictures  and  lessons  to  squander  it  on  his 
own  selfish  indulgences.  He  occupied  the  first  floor 
of  the  house,  furnished  in  magnificent  style,  and  sur- 
rounded himself  with  costly  luxuries ;  while  his  wife 
was  obliged  to  content  herself  with  the  second  story, 
and  with  very  plain  living.  Such  a  state  of  things  in 
married  life,  however,  was  not  unusual  toward  the  close 
of  the  reign  of  Louis  XV.,  and  it  excited  no  surprise. 

While  matters  stood  thus,  Le  Brun  obtained  the 
credit  of  being  an  indulgent  husband  by  the  indiffer- 
ence he  showed  in  allowing  even  persons  of  question- 
able character  to  visit  his  wife,  while  he  seldom  ap- 
peared in  her  circles,  and  by  his  disregard  of  sundry 
cautions  and  rumors  on  the  subject.  Scandal,  which 
rarely  spares  an  ill-used  wife,  unless  the  austere  seclu- 
sion of  her  life  be  more  than  hermit-like,  whispered 
terrible  things  of  Madame  Le  Brun,  and  she  was  even 
accused  of  owing  the  large  sums  paid  for  her  pictures 
more  to  personal  favors  than  to  her  merit  as  a  painter. 
Conscious  of  innocence,  she  was  wont  to  complain  to 
her  husband  of  such  injustice,  and  he  would  answer, 
jestingly, 

"  Let  people  talk.  When  you  die  I  will  put  up  a 
lofty  pyramid  in  my  garden,  inscribed  with  a  list  of 
the  portraits  you  have  painted,  and  then  the  world 
will  know  how  you  have  come  by  the  money  you  have 
made." 


ELIZABETH  LE  BRUN.  211 

Such  mocking  sympathy  was  all  the  return  for  her 
confidence  and  earnest  appeals  for  protection  from  the 
unworthy  husband  who  continued  to  live  in  luxury 
at  her  expense. 

When  twelve  thousand  francs  were  sent  Elizabeth 
for  a  portrait  of  the  son  of  Princess  Lubomirska,  Le 
Brun  appropriated  to  his  own  use  the  entire  sum  ex- 
cept two  louis-d'ors,  which  he  gave  his  wife  out  of  it. 

With  feelings  wounded,  and  alienated  from  him  by 
such  treatment,  Madame  Le  Brun  at  length  appears  to 
have  resolved  to  make  herself  as  happy  as  possible  in 
her  own  way.  French  society  was  then  corrupted  to 
the  core,  and  it  was  difficult  to  move  in  it  without  par- 
taking of  the  contamination.  It  was  especially  so  for 
one  whose  education  had  been  superficial,  and  who 
had  never  learned  to  emulate  the  example  of  those 
pure  devotees  to  art  who  had  found  in  that  a  power  to 
preserve  and  guide  them,  even  amid  the  intrigues  and 
dissipation  of  the  circles  that  surrounded  them. 

Madame  Le  Brun  had  obtained  the  favor  and  inti- 
mate friendship  of  persons  of  very  high  rank.  Marie 
Antoinette  not  only  sent  to  her  for  her  picture,  but 
was  accustomed  to  ask  her  to  sing  with  her,  the  paint- 
er being  almost  as  celebrated  for  her  "silver  voice"  as 
for  her  professional  merits.  The  public  honors  lav- 
ished upon  her  aided  to  make  her  labors  profitable. 

On  one  occasion,  at  a  sitting  of  the  French  Acad- 
emy, La  Harpe  recited  a  poem  in  honor  of  female  gen- 
ius. When  he  came  to  the  lines — 

"Le Brim — de  la  beaute  le  peintre  et  le  modele, 
Moderne  Eosalba,  mais  plus  brillante  qu'elle, 
Joint  la  voix  de  Favart  au  sourire  de  Ve'nus — " 

the  whole  assembly  rose,  not  even,  excepting  the 
Duchesse  de  Chartres  and  the  King  of  Sweden,  and 


212  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

the  fair  artist  was  stunned  with  a  burst  of  enthusiastic 
applause. 

—  Her  admission  into  the  Academy,  which  had  been 
hitherto  prevented  by  personal  jealousies  and  other 
hinderances,  now  took  place,  on  the  presentation  of  her 
own  portrait,  in  1783.  This  picture  she  had  painted 
after  the  famous  one  by  Eubens — "  Le  cliapeau  de 
paille" — which  she  had  seen  the  year  before  when  on 
a  visit  to  Belgium.  Her  work  was  so  admirable  that 
Yernet,  her  ever  faithful  friend,  saw  at  once  that  he 
could  by  its  means  procure  the  immediate  enrollment 
of  her  name  among  the  members  of  the  Academy. 

In  the  "poor  dwelling"  to  which  M.  Le  Brun's  ex- 
travagance consigned  her,  she  managed  to  hold  every 
week  an  evening  reception,  notwithstanding  the  limit- 
ed accommodations.  Her  house  became  the  rendez- 
vous for  all  the  celebrities  of  Paris,  and  for  much  of 
its  beauty  and  high  rank.  Curious  stories  were  afloat 
in  regard  to  her  expenditures  in  entertaining  the  dig- 
nified personages  who  visited  her.  It  was  said  that 
her  table  was  covered  with  gold  plate ;  that  her  apart- 
ments were  warmed  with  aloes-wood,  and  even  that 
she  kindled  her  fire  with  bank-notes.  The  absurdity 
of  such  rumors  may  well  lead  one  to  doubt  others  in 
the  chroniques  scandaleuses  of  the  day,  more  nearly 
affecting  her  reputation. 

It  is  certain,  however,  that  she  received  guests  of 
the  highest  distinction,  and  that  her  receptions  were 
crowded  to  excess.  The  want  of  chairs  often  com- 
pelled her  visitors  to  seat  themselves  on  the  ground. 
Madame  Le  Brun  herself  describes,  with  evident  pleas- 
ure in  the  recollection,  the  embarrassment  of  the  fat 
old  Due  de  Noailles,  who  one  evening  had  to  stand 
a  long  time,  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  seats. 


ELIZABETH  LE  BKUN.  213 

Music  was  generally  a  part  of  the  entertainment, 
and  the  fair  hostess,  though  she  had  paid  little  atten- 
tion to  the  superior  cultivation  of  that  art,  sang  most 
charmingly.  Gretry,  Sachini,  and  Martini  here  re- 
hearsed scenes  from  the  new  operas  before  their  repre- 
sentation; Garat,  Azevedo,  Eicher,  and  Madame  Le 
Brun  supplied  the  vocal  music,  while  the  instrumental 
would  be  furnished  by  Viotti,  Jarnowich,  Maestrino, 
Cramer,  Hiilmandel,  and  Prince  Henry  of  Prussia, 
brother  to  Frederick  William  III.  He  was  said  to  be 
a  celebrated  amateur. 

The  petits  soupers  which  usually  terminated  these 
delightful  soirees,  and  to  which  only  a  few  favored 
guests  were  invited,  became  renowned  throughout 
France.  They  were  said  to  be  brilliant  in  Attic  ele- 
gance and  Parisian  luxury.  The  popular  Delille,  the 
piquant  author  Le  Brun,  who  first  flattered  the  royal 
family  and  then  became  the  Pindar  of  the  Revolution ; 
the  luxurious  Boufflers,  the  Vicomte  de  Segur,  were 
among  the  frequenters  of  this  sanctuary  of  the  muses 
and  the  graces.  The  suppers,  indeed,  had  a  European 
celebrity. 

One  day  the  brother  of  Madame  Le  Brun  read  aloud 
from  the  travels  of  Anacharsis  a  description  of  an  an- 
cient Grecian  banquet.  The  fancy  came  into  the 
lady's  head  of  arranging  one  of  her  suppers  in  imita- 
tion of  the  feasts  of  the  luxurious  Aspasia. 

The  cook  was  immediately  furnished  with  receipts 
for  Greek  sauces;  the  "little"  supper-room  was 
changed  into  a  classic  banqueting-hall,  and  a  table 
made  according  to  the  antique  fashion  was  set  in  the 
middle  of  the  room,  surrounded  with  Grecian  dra- 
peried  couches.  A  request  was  sent  to  the  Comte  de 
Pezay,  who  lived  in  the  same  building,  for  an  antique 


214  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

mantle  of  regal  purple,  while  the  Marquis  de  Cubieres 
was  levied  on  for  a  golden  lyre,  on  which  he  was 
skilled  in  playing. 

Le  Brun — not  the  husband,  but  the  poet — was 
arrayed  by  the  fair  hands  of  the  artist — whose  taste 
in  picturesque  costume  none  could  question — with 
the  purple  robe  and  a  classic  wig,  adorned  with  a 
laurel  wreath.  He  was  thus  fitted  to  bear  his  part  as 
Pindar  or  Anacreon !  Some  young  ladies,  noted  for 
their  beauty,  were  dressed  in  Greek  tunics,  with  clas- 
sic coiffures,  to  figure  as  Athenian  maidens ;  while 
the  gentlemen  guests  underwent  a  corresponding 
transformation. 

Those  favored  with  invitations  to  this  select  enter- 
tainment took  their  places  to  the  music  of  the  golden 
lyre,  and  the  classic  air  composed  by  Gluck, 

"Le  Dieu  de  Paphos  et  de  Gnide," 

while  the  Pindar  of  the  evening  sang  Anacreontic 
odes. 

Among  the  delicacies  that  covered  the  board  were 
eels  and  birds  dressed  with  Greek  sauces  and  garnish- 
ed with  honey-cakes ;  figs,  and  olives,  and  grapes  of 
Corinth.  Two  beautiful  slaves — Mademoiselle  de 
Bonneuil  and  Mademoiselle  Le  Brun — served  the 
guests  with  Cyprian  wine,  in  cups  brought  from 
buried  Herculaneum. 

Two  guests  arrived  late — the  Comte  de  Vaudreuil 
and  the  financier  Boutin — who  had  not  been  prepared 
for  the  surprise.  They  stood  still,  dumb  with  amaze- 
ment, at  the  threshold,  and  seemed  to  think  themselves 
transported  to  Athens  in  her  day  of  intellectual  glory ! 

The  next  day  the  classic  banquet  given  by  Madame 
Le  Brun  was  the  talk  of  all  Paris.  She  was  entreated 
to  repeat  the  entertainment,  but  with  proper  tact  de- 


ELIZABETH  LE   BRUN.  215 

clined.  Some  of  her  acquaintances  took  offense  at 
the  refusal  and  at  their  own  exclusion,  and  revenged 
the  slight  (as  she  says)  by  slandering  her  to  the  king. 
It  was  averred  the  supper  had  cost  twenty  thousand 
francs,  and  Cubi^res  had  much  ado  to  undeceive  his 
majesty. 

The  story  and  the  fame  of  the  banquet  traveled 
over  the  Continent ;  by  the  time  it  had  reached  Eome 
the  cost  had  swelled  to  forty  thousand ;  and  in  Vienna, 
the  Baroness  Strogonoff  assured  Madame  Le  Brun,  it 
was  reported  she  had  spent  sixty  thousand.  In  St. 
Petersburg  it  was  naturally  as  much  as  eighty  thou- 
sand. "  The  fact  is,"  says  Madame  Le  Brun,  "  the  lit- 
tle affair  cost  me  only  fifteen  francs."  She  may  be  re- 
lied on  as  to  her  share  of  the  expense,  although  the 
cost  to  others  may  have  been  somewhat  greater. 

Such  exaggerated  rumors,  and  the  gossip  growing 
out  of  them,  caused  some  disagreement  in  the  general 
estimation  of  Madame  Le  Brun's  talents  and  charac- 
ter. The  homage  she  had  received  and  continued  to 
receive  from  the  nobility,  with  her  appointment  as 
painter-in-ordinary  to  the  queen,  and  the  favors  heap- 
ed on  her  by  the  court,  helped  to  render  her  obnox- 
ious to  a  people  among  whom  attachment  to  royalty 
and  aristocratic  forms  began  to  be  regarded  as  a 
crime. 

France  was  on  the  eve  of  that  Revolution  which 
was  destined  to  uproot  the  existing  order  of  things, 
and  the  woman  whom  Marie  Antoinette  had  made  her 
companion  was  not  likely  to  escape  without  opprobri- 
um. Besides,  had  she  not,  in  1774,  before  her  mar- 
riage, published  a  work  entitled  "  Amour  des  Frangais 
pour  leur  roiT"1 

When  the  Revolution  broke  out,  Madame  Le  Brun 


216  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

perceived  that  she  could  no  longer  remain  in  France. 
The  law  protecting  artists,  and  permitting  them  to 
travel  in  their  vocation,  was  available  for  her  depart- 
ure. 

She  resolved  to  go  to  Italy,  and,  with  poignant  grief, 
bade  adieu  to  her  home  and  friends.  But  the  journey 
commenced  so  sadly  proved  a  triumphant  progress, 
crowned  with  tokens  of  respect  and  homage. 

In  Bologna  she  was  at  once  declared  a  member  of 
the  Academy.  At  Eome  she  was  welcomed  by  a  dep- 
utation of  artists,  who  went  to  meet  her;  while  the 
painter  Menageot,  who  had  just  been  appointed  direct- 
or of  the  French  Academy,  assigned  her  apartments  in 
the  palace  of  the  institution. 

In  Naples  she  was  received  with  marks  of  distinc- 
tion by  the  queen,  the  sister  of  Marie  Antoinette,  and 
here  several  residents  of  rank  sat  to  her  for  their  por- 
traits— among  others,  the  beautiful  Lady  Hamilton, 
whom  the  artist  painted  as  a  Bacchante  reclining  on 
the  sea-shore.  This  picture  was  highly  praised,  and 
spread  far  and  wide  the  fame  of  Madame  Le  Brun. 

In  Florence  she  was  requested  to  paint  a  portrait  of 
herself  for  the  collection  of  originals  to  which  refer- 
ence has  already  been  made.  She  finished  the  por- 
trait for  this  gallery,  where  it  was  placed  in  1790,  two 
years  after  that  of  Angelica  Kauffman  had  been  added 
to  the  collection. 

Goethe  says  of  the  portrait  of  Angelica  Kauffman, 
comparing  it  with  that  of  Madame  Le  Brun  in  the 
same  gallery:  "It  has  a  truer  tone  in  the  coloring; 
the  position  is  more  pleasing,  and  the  whole  exhibits 
more  correct  taste  and  a  higher  spirit  in  art.  But  the 
work  of  Le  Brun  shows  more  careful  execution ;  has 
more  vigor  in  the  drawing,  and  more  delicate  touches. 


ELIZABETH  LE  BRUN".  217 

It  has,  moreover,  a  clear,  though  somewhat  exaggera- 
ted coloring.  The  Frenchwoman  understands  the  art 
of  adornment;  the  head-dress,  the  hair,  the  folds  of 
lace  on  the  bosom — -all  are  arranged  with  care,  and,  as 
one  might  say,  con  amore.  The  piquant,  handsome 
face,  with  its  lively  expression,  its  parted  lips  disclos- 
ing a  row  of  pearly  teeth,  presents  itself  to  the  behold- 
er's gaze  as  if  coquettishly  challenging  his  admiration, 
while  the  hand  holds  the  pencil  as  in  the  act  of  draw- 
ing. The  picture  of  Angelica,  with  the  head  gently 
inclined,  and  the  soft,  intellectual  melancholy  of  the 
countenance,  evinces  higher  genius,  even  if,  in  point 
of  artistic  skill,  the  preference  would  be  given  to  the 
other." 

From  a  comparison  of  the  two  portraits,  a  contrast 
might  be  drawn  in  the  contemplation  of  the  lives  and 
characters  of  the  two  artists.  But  we  will  return  to 
Madame  Le  Brun,  whom  we  find  pursuing  the  jour- 
neys she  made  as  a  conqueror,  receiving  new  honors 
and  new  tributes  wherever  she  passed. 

After  visiting  Florence  and  Parma,  where  she  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Academy,  she  went  to  Venice, 
Yerona,  and  Milan.  Italy — the  land  where  the  fairest 
fruits  of  female  genius  in  painting  had  been  found — 
seemed  eager  to  pay  the  homage  of  admiration  to  the 
gifted  daughter  of  another  clime.  Compliments  and 
felicitations  were  showered  upon  her  by  the  country- 
men of  a  Sirani  and  a  Robusti. 

She  came  at  length  to  Vienna,  where  the  Count  Kau- 
nitz  received  her  with  friendly  welcome,  and  immedi- 
ately introduced  her  at  court.  A  golden  harvest  here 
awaited  her  efforts,  and  gallant  attentions  from  persons 
in  high  places  were  not  wanting.  The  Prince  de 
Ligne — a  type  of  the  cavaliers  of  the  ancien  regime, 

K 


218  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

whom  she  had  known  in  former  years  at  the  court  of 
Versailles — devoted  himself  to  her  service,  and  sang 
her  praises  in  amatory  verses. 

Visiting  Berlin,  she  found  an  old  friend  in  the  per- 
son of  Prince  Henry,  and  had  a  very  favorable  recep- 
tion at  court.  Thence  she  went  to  St.  Petersburg, 
where  she  lived  some  years  in  a  brilliant  circle  of  so- 
ciety under  the  protection  of  the  Empress  Catherine 
II.  and  Paul  I. 

The  honors  heaped  upon  her  were  crowned  in  1800 
by  her  election  to  membership  in  the  Academy  of 
Arts;  but,  notwithstanding  the  favor  in  which  she 
stood  with  the  imperial  family  and  the  nobility,  and 
the  influx  of  wealth  that  grew  out  of  their  kindness 
and  the  extended  appreciation  of  her  paintings,  the 
condition  of  her  health  at  last  obliged  her  to  quit  Eus- 
sia.  The  entreaties  of  the  emperor  and  empress  could 
not  prevail  upon  her  to  remain  longer  than  1801. 

In  July  of  that  year  she  returned  to  Berlin  and  re- 
ceived the  honor  of  being  chosen  a  member  of  the 
Academy.  Orders  for  portraits  were  not  wanting, 
but  her  short  stay  made  it  impossible  to  undertake 
them.  Passing  through  Dresden  she  returned  to  the 
native  land  for  which  her  heart  had  ever  pined,  ar- 
riving in  safety  at  Paris  in  the  winter  of  the  same 
year. 

The  misfortunes  of  the  Bourbons  had  filled  her 
breast  with  sympathizing  grief  wherever  the  news  had 
reached  her.  She  remained  true  to  them  through  all 
reverses,  living  to  witness  both  the  restoration  and 
second  and  final  exile  of  that  royal  line.  This  loyal 
feeling  manifested  itself  even  in  her  relations  to  the 
imperial  family,  when  they  were  in  possession  of  the 
throne. 


ELIZABETH  LE  BRUN.  219 

Her  picture  of  "  Yenus  binding  Love's  wings"  had 
been  engraved  in  Paris  by  Pierre  Villu,  in  1787.  In 
London  she  was  attacked  by  the  painter  Hoppner,  who 
depreciated  her  works,  and  charged  her  with  manner- 
ism. She  succeeded,  nevertheless,  in  obtaining  dis- 
tinguished patrons.  Two  pieces  that  spread  her  re- 
nown were,  a  knee-piece  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and 
one  of  the  Signora  Grassini  in  a  classic  character.  The 
draperies  are  luxuriant  and  rainbow-colored. 

Sir  Joshua  Keynolds,  when  questioned  by  North- 
cote  on  the  merits  of  two  of  her  portraits,  pronounced 
them  "as  fine  as  those  of  any  painter,"  and  he  would 
not  except  Yandyck,  though  his  remark  has  been  at- 
tributed to  a  generous  unwillingness  to  interfere  with 
the  brief  summer  of  her  popularity.  After  a  residence 
of  three  years  in  England  she  came  to  Paris  to  paint 
the  portrait  of  Madame  Murat. 

At  Coppet,  whither  she  went  on  a  journey  into 
Switzerland  in  1808-9,  she  painted  a  portrait  of  Ma- 
dame de  Stael,  which  aided  much  in  spreading  her  rep- 
utation. Having  returned  from  this  tour,  she  pur- 
chased a  country-seat  near  Marly,  which  became,  as 
her  house  in  Paris  had  been,  the  resort  of  a  highly 
cultivated  and  brilliant  society.  Especially  at  the  pe- 
riod of  the  Eestoration,  public  attention,  influenced  by 
that  of  the  court,  seemed  turned  to  Madame  Le  Brun 
with  greater  earnestness  than  ever. 

The  husband  of  this  accomplished  woman  died  in 
1813,  and  five  years  afterward  she  lost  her  only  daugh- 
ter. Her  death  was  followed  by  that  of  the  brother 
to  whom  Madame  Le  Brun  was  so  much  attached. 
These  multiplied  afflictions  weighed  heavily  upon  her 
desolate  heart.  She  sought  consolation  in  renewed 
devotion  to  her  art,  and  worked  in  her  profession  as 


220  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

assiduously  as  ever,  notwithstanding  the  infirmities 
of  advanced  age.  When  eighty  years  old  she  painted 
the  portrait  of  her  niece,  Madame  de  Eiviere,  and  so 
remarkable  for  vigorous  coloring  and  lively  expres- 
sion was  this  picture  that  it  has  been  preserved  among 
the  best  specimens  of  her  powers  in  their  prime  of 
energy. 

About  this  time,  in  1835,  she  gave  the  world  her 
autobiography,  in  the  work  entitled  "  Souvenirs."  In 
this  memoir  she  enumerates  the  paintings  which  she 
had  at  that  time  executed  during  her  life.  She  had 
finished  six  hundred  and  sixty-two  portraits,  fifteen 
large  compositions,  and  two  hundred  landscape-pieces, 
sketched  during  her  travels  in  England  and  Switzer- 
land. 

She  had  nearly  completed  her  eighty-seventh  year 
at  the  time  of  her  death,  March  30th,  1842.  Her  long 
life  had  been  as  richly  productive  in  earnest  labor  as 
in  the  reward  of  success,  and  in  manifold  enjoyment.  • 
It  may,  indeed,  be  regarded,  in  its  rare  bloom  and 
vigor,  as  a  type  of  that  brilliant  period,  gay  and  lux- 
uriant on  the  surface,  but  concealing  numerous  imper- 
fections, which  preceded  the  French  Eevolution,  and 
led,  as  a  natural  consequence,  to  that  tremendous  out- 
break. 


SPANISH  FEMALE  AKTISTS. 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

THE   EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Women  Artists  in  Spain. — Their  Participation  a  Test  of  general 
Interest. — Female  Representatives  of  the  most  important  Schools. 
—That  of  Seville. — Of  Madrid. — The  Paintress  of  Don  Quixote. 
— Ladies  of  Rank  Members  of  the  Academy. — Maria  Tibaldi. — 
Two  female  Artists  besides  two  Poetesses  in  Portugal. — The  Har- 
vest greater  in  Italy. — Few  attained  to  Eminence. — Learned  La- 
dies.— Female  Doctors  and  Professors. — Degrees  in  Jurisprudence 
and  Philosophy  conferred  on  them. — Examples. — The  Scholar 
nine  Years  old. — A  lady  Professor  of  Mathematics. — Women  Lec- 
turers.— Comparison'  with  English  Ladies. — Brilliant  Devotees  of 
the  Lyre. — Female  Talent  in  the  important  Schools  of  Art. — 
Women  Artists  in  Florence. — Engravers  and  Paintresses. —  In 
Naples. — Kitchen-pieces. — In  the  Cities  of  northern  Italy. — In  Bo- 
logna.— Princesses. — In  Venice. — Rosalba  Camera. — Her  child- 
ish Work. — Her  Genius  perceived. — Instruction. — Takes  to  Pas- 
tel-painting.— Merits  of  her  Works. — Celebrity. — Invitations  to 
Paris  and  Vienna. — Visit  from  the  King  of  Denmark. — Invited 
by  the  Emperor  and  the  King  of  France. — Portrait  for  the  Grand 
Duke  of  Tuscany. — The  King  of  Poland  her  Patron. — Unspoiled 
by  Honors. — Her  moral  Worth. — Residence  in  Paris. — Her  Pic- 
tures.— The  Lady  disguised  as  a  Maid-servant. — Want  of  Beauty. 
— Anecdote  of  the  Emperor. — Rosalba's  Journal. — Visit  to  Vien- 
na.— Presentiment  of  Calamity. — The  Portrait  wreathed  with 
gloomy  Leaves. — Blindness. — Loss  of  Reason. — Death  and  Burial. 
— Her  Portrait. — Other  Venetian  Women. 

A  GLANCE  at  the  women  artists  of  the  romantic 
South  will  close  this  general  survey  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  In  Spain  we  find  few  worthy  of  mention. 
Since  the  commencement  of  the  Bourbon  dynasty  in- 
terest in  art  had  ceased  to  be  the  essential  element  in 
the  national  life  that  it  had  been  under  the  sway  of 


222  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

the  house  of  Hapsburg  throughout  the  seventeenth 
century.  And  in  the  Peninsula  the  truth  was  made 
apparent  that  the  participation  of  women  is  a  test  and 
measure  of  the  general  interest  in  the  studies  and  prod- 
ucts of  art  prevailing  among  any  people. 

The  most  important  schools,  however,  were  not  en- 
tirely without  female  representatives.  Linked  with 
that  of  Seville,  we  hear  the  name  of  the  portrait-paint- 
er, Maria  de  Valdes  Leal ;  her  father  and  tutor,  Don 
Juan  de  Yaldes,  after  the  death  of  Murillo,  was  regard- 
ed as  the  first  living  master  of  this  school. 

That  of  Madrid  had  among  its  disciples  Clara  and 
Anna  Menendez,  the  latter  being  remembered  as  the 
painter  of  a  series  of  scenes  from  Don  Quixote.  To 
the  same  school  belong  Donna  Barbara  Maria  de 
Hueva,  and  Donna  Maria  de  Silva,  Duchess  of  Arcos, 
both  celebrated  for  their  skill  in  drawing,  and  mem- 
bers of  the  Academy  of  San  Fernando,  as  were  also 
Anna  Menendez,  and  the  painter  Anna  Perez  of  Na- 
varre. Maria  Felice  Tibaldi,  born  in  1707,  painted  in 
oil,  and  also  miniatures  and  pastels.  She  possessed 
great  skill  in  drawing  from  life  and  copying  historical 
pieces.  A  work  of  her  husband,  Pierre  Subleyras, 
"  The  Apostolic  Supper,"  was  copied  by  her  in  min- 
iature. Pope  Benedict  XIV.  sent  her  for  it  a  thou- 
sand scudi,  and  placed  it  in  his  collection  at  the  Capi- 
tol. After  the  death  of  her  husband  Maria  supported 
herself  and  her  children  by  her  talents. 

To  these  may  be  added  Maria  Prieto,  the  daughter 
of  a  distinguished  medailleur  ;  she  practiced  both  paint- 
ing and  engraving,  but  died  in  her  twentieth  year  at 
Madrid,  in  1772. 

Portugal,  at  this  period,  was  justly  proud  of  two 
women  whose  poetical  talents  had  won  no  small  celeb- 


LEARNED   LADIES.  223 

rity,  Magdalena  da  Gloria  and  the  Countess  de  Vimiero. 
Beside  them  we  may  note  two  artists  of  eminence, 
Dona  Isabel  Maria  Rite  of  Oporto,  and  Catarina  Vieira 
of  Lisbon ;  the  former  of  high  repute  as  a  miniature- 
painter,  the  latter  noted  for  several  church  pictures 
which  she  painted  after  the  designs  of  her  brother, 
Don  Francisco  Vieira  de  Mattos. 

In  Italy  the  harvest  of  names  was  greater,  but  fewer 
women  attained  to  eminence  during  this  century  than 
in  either  of  the  two  that  had  preceded  it.  Of  women 
of  poetical  genius  there  was  no  lack  at  this  period ; 
and  more  than  ever — though  such  are  not  wanting  in 
the  early  annals  of  the  principal  Italian  cities — learn- 
ed ladies  abounded.  Female  doctors  and  professors 
were  far  more  in  plenty  than  they  promise  to  be  in 
America  in  the  latter  half  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
Such  phenomena  were  not  rare  in  the  classic  Italian 
clime  as  women  occupying  the  chair,  not  only  of  mu- 
sic, drawing,  and  modern  tongues,  but  of  Greek,  Lat- 
in, Hebrew,  mathematics,  and  astronomy.  They  took 
degrees  as  doctors  in  jurisprudence  and  philosophy; 
for  example,  Maria  Victoria  Delfini,  Christina  Roccati, 
and  Laura  Bassi,  in  the  University  of  Bologna,  and 
Maria  Pellegrina  Amoretti,  in  that  of  Pavia.  Anna 
Manzolini,  in  1758,  was  Professor  of  Anatomy  in  Bo- 
logna ;  and  Maria  Agnesi — who,  when  only  nine  years 
of  age,  had  delivered  at  Milan  a  Latin  address  on  the 
"  Studies  of  the  Female  Sex" — was  appointed  by  the 
Pope  to  the  professorship  of  mathematics  in  the  same 
university  at  Bologna. 

It  was  not  then  esteemed  unfeminine  for  women  to 
give  lectures  in  public  to  crowded  and  admiring  audi- 
ences. They  were  freely  admitted  members  of  learn- 
ed societies,  and  were  consulted  by  men  of  pre-emi- 


224  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

nent  scientific  attainments  as  their  equals  in  scholar- 
ship ;  yet,  a  British  reviewer  remarks,  "  It  is  doubtful 
whether  the  far-famed  Novella  was  a  better  Greek 
scholar  than  Mrs.  Browning ;  or  Maria  Porcia  Vignoli, 
whose  statue  long  adorned  the  market-place  of  Yiter- 
bo,  more  learned  in  natural  sciences  than  Mrs.  Somer- 
ville." 

Among  the  more  brilliant  devotees  of  the  lyre  may 
be  mentioned,  in  passing,  Emilia  Ballati  and  Giulia 
Baitelli,  who  emulated  the  fame  of  Petrarch,  and  Lau- 
ra Vanetti,  in  whose  poems  Metastasio  discerned  the 
very  soul  of  the  bard  of  Love. 

But  we  must  not  linger  over  names,  even  of  the  art- 
ists who  belong  to  our  special  field  of  observation. 
None  of  the  important  early  schools  failed  in  the  eight- 
eenth century,  to  be  able  to  boast  the  ornament  of  fe- 
male talent.  In  Florence,  Yiolanta  Beatrice  Siries,  aft- 
er a  prolonged  course  of  study  in  Paris  under  Boucher 
and  Eigaud,  was  noted  as  a  portrait-painter.  In  the 
same  branch  of  the  profession,  Anna  Boccherini  and 
Anna  Galeotti  were  highly  esteemed. 

In  copper-engraving,  Catarina  Zucchi  and  Laura  Pi- 
ranesi  acquired  some  celebrity.  As  engravers,  we  hear 
of  Livia  Pisani,  Yiolanta  Yanni,  and  Teresa  Mogalli, 
the  last  also  skilled  in  painting. 

In  encaustic  painting,  Anna  Parenti-Duclos  was  well 
known  toward  the  close  of  the  century.  Maria  Felicia 
Tibaldi  was  distinguished  in  Kome  for  her  talents  as  a 
painter  no  less  than  for  her  virtues  as  a  woman ;  and 
her  sister,  Teresa,  belongs  to  the  same  category,  with 
Kosalba  Maria  Salviani  and  Caterina  Cherubini.  In 
miniature-painting,  Bianca  and  Matilda  Festa  excelled ; 
the  latter  holding  the  professor's  chair  in  the  Academy 
of  San  Luca. 


ITALIAN  FEMALE  ARTISTS.  225 

The  wreaths  of  poetry  and  painting  were  inter- 
twined around  the  brow  of  Maria  Maratti,  the  daugh- 
ter and  pupil  of  the  celebrated  Carlo  Maratti,  and  the 
wife  of  the  poet  Zappi.  The  like  was  true  of  Anna 
Victoria  Dolora,  who  died  at  a  great  age  in  1827,  in  a 
Dominican  convent. 

Naples  boasted  at  this  period  a  famous  mathemati- 
cian in  Maria  Angela  Ardinghelli.  Three  gifted  sis- 
ters, Maria  Angiola,  Felice,  and  Emmanuela  Matteis, 
were  also  noted  here ;  with  the  distinguished  Angel- 
ica Siscara  and  Colomba  Garri,  who  practiced  flower 
and  genre  painting,  and  produced  a  series  of  kitchen- 
pieces,  in  which  they  sought  to  idealize  by  artistic 
adornment  the  ordinary  occupations  of  the  frugal  and 
industrious  housewife. 

The  cities  of  northern  Italy  had  their  share  of  en- 
ergetic women.  Turin,  Milan,  Bergamo,  Roveredo, 
Carpi,  and  Parma  produced  artists  whose  fame  was 
limited  to  a  narrower  circle  than  those  of  Bologna  and 
Venice,  where,  especially  in  the  former  city,  the  shad- 
ow of  past  glories  seemed  to  linger. 

Professor  Anna  Manzolini  modeled  excellent  por- 
traits in  wax,  and  Clarice  Vasini  obtained  no  small 
celebrity  as  a  sculptor,  being  a  member  of  the  Acad- 
emy. 

Lucia  Casalini,  Bianca  Giovannini,  Barbara  Burini, 
Eleonora  Monti,  Anna  Teresia  Messieri,  Rosa  Alboni, 
and  Teresa  Tesi,  belonged  to  Bologna,  and  elevated 
the  renown  of  its  women  for  painting.  They  aspired 
to  imitate  the  example  of  Elizabetta  Sirani. 

Carlotta  Melania  Alfieri  is  mentioned  as  accomplish- 
ed in  literature,  music,  and  painting. 

Laura  Vanetti,  praised  as  a  linguist,  musician,  and 
philosopher,  also  excelled  in  painting.  In  the  begin- 
K  2 


226  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

ning  of  this  century  the  Princess  Elizabeth  of  Parma, 
afterward  married  to  the  King  of  Spain,  was  a  famous 
dilettante.  Another  Princess  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
the  Archduke  Joseph  of  Austria,  was,  in  1789,  on  ac- 
count of  her  pastels,  admitted  to  membership  of  the 
Academy  in  Vienna. 

In  Venice,  on  the  other  hand,  the  fair  students  of 
art  zealously  emulated  the  fame  of  Maria  Kobusti. 
This  "  city  of  the  sea"  had  many  daughters  who  did 
well  in  painting,  though  even  their  names  are  now  for- 
gotten. She  gave  birth  to  one,  however,  whose  fame 
was  destined  to  spread  into  a  wider  circle,  and  to  re- 
new even  in  foreign  lands  the  ancient  lustre  of  the 
Italian  name  in  art.  This  gifted  being  stands  almost 
alone  in  the  century  as  one  who  will  be  remembered 
by  posterity  with  admiration. 

ROSALBA  CARRIERA. 

Eosalba  Camera  was  born  in  Venice  in  1675.  Her 
father  held  an  office  under  government,  which  occu- 
pied his  whole  time ;  but  he,  as  well  as  his  father,  had 
been  a  painter.  He  loved  art,  and  encouraged  his 
child  in  her  early  fancies.  Her  first  childish  work 
was  at  point  de  Venise  lace.  She  seemed  to  care  lit- 
tle for  the  ordinary  amusements  of  young  people,  but 
passed  her  leisure  time  in  drawing.  She  tried  to  copy 
one  of  her  father's  designs  for  the  head  of  a  sonnet. 
A  student  of  art,  who  chanced  to  see  this  piece  of 
work,  showed  it  to  his  master,  who  instantly  perceived 
the  genius  of  the  child  artist ;  and,  foreseeing  the  ex- 
cellence to  which  she  would  attain,  and  wishing  to  en- 
courage her  to  persevere,  gave  her  other  designs  to 
copy. 

Rosalba  was  desolate  when  this  friend  left  Venice ; 


EOSALBA  CARRIERA.  227 

but  a  Venetian  banker,  who  had  noticed  her  profi- 
ciency, lent  her  some  heads  in  pastel  of  Baroche. 
These  studies  vastly  improved  her;  and  her  father, 
then  satisfied  of  his  daughter's  possession  of  rare  tal- 
ents, consented  that  she  should  take  lessons  from  An- 
tonio Nazari,  who  was  eminent  as  a  pastel-painter. 
The  cavalier  Diamantini,  distinguished  for  the  fresh- 
ness of  his  pencil,  also  gave  her  instruction. 

Her  most  valuable  knowledge  of  the  technical  part 
of  painting,  which  gave  her  the  mastery  and  command 
of  her  art  that  marked  her  productions,  was  acquired 
under  the  tuition  of  Antonio  Balestra.  Finally,  she 
obtained  from  her  kinsman,  Antonio  Pellegrini,  a 
knowledge  of  the  details  of  miniature -painting,  to 
which  the  advice  of  a  lady  friend  first  directed  her, 
and  in  which  branch  she  acquired  rare  skill.  She 
would  willingly  have  pursued  this,  but  the  weakness 
of  her  sight  compelled  her  to  abandon  it,  and  take  to 
pastel-painting,  in  which  she  obtained  the  greatest  ce- 
lebrity— attaining,  Zanetti  says,  the  highest  grade  of 
perfection. 

Her  miniatures  were  noted  particularly  for  severe 
accuracy  of  drawing,  united  with  rare  softness  and 
delicacy  of  touch ;  they  had  the  perfection  of  propor- 
tion, and  the  brilliancy  and  warmth  of  coloring  for 
which  her  pastels  were  remarkable.  Her  tints  were 
blended  with  great  tenderness ;  her  heads  had  a  love- 
ly expression  of  truth  and  nature. 

Her  talents  met  with  due  appreciation  and  honor 
while  yet  in  their  bloom  of  promise.  She  was  cele- 
brated in  her  native  city  as  the  "companion  of  the 
muse  of  painting,"  and  "the  ornament  of  her  sex  and 
of  the  Venetian  school."  Zanetti  speaks  of  her  with 
high  praise  in  his  u  Storia  della  Pittura  Veneziana." 


228  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

"Works  evincing  her  extraordinary  ability  were  shown 
at  most  of  the  courts  of  Europe.  She  was  invited 
to  Paris  and  Vienna  to  practice  her  profession  there, 
and  was  elected  to  membership  in  the  academies  of 
Paris,  Bologna,  and  Eome.  Her  miniature  and  pas- 
tel paintings  were  sent  to  the  institutions  which  con- 
ferred this  honor  upon  her.  The  King  of  Denmark 
came  to  Venice,  and,  having  heard  of  Eosalba,  ex- 
pressed a  curiosity  to  see  her.  After  consulting  Ba- 
lestra,  she  presented  to  her  royal  visitor  some  por- 
traits of  Venetian  ladies  of  rank  whom  he  had  ad- 
mired, receiving  from  his  majesty  in  return  a  very 
costly  diamond.  She  also  played  and  sang  for  his 
amusement  with  her  two  sisters,  one  of  whom  per- 
formed on  the  violin. 

_  She  was  invited  by  royalty  to  paint  the  Emperor 
Charles  and  the  imperial  court;  also  the  King  of 
France.  The  Grand-Duke  of  Tuscany  placed  her  por- 
trait in  his  gallery ;  it  is  painted  in  pastel,  with  one 
of  her  sisters.  The  style  is  noble  and  sustained ;  the 
expression  is  true,  and  the  flesh-tints  are  so  admira- 
ble, the  face  seems  scarcely  to  want  a  soul.  Augustus 
III.,  King  of  Poland,  was  her  special  patron ;  and  in 
Modena  she  painted  portraits  of  the  reigning  family. 

None  of  these,  or  similar  honors,  had  power  to  turn 
her  head  nor  to  corrupt  her  heart.  Although  a  daugh- 
ter of  Venice,  then  the  most  luxurious  and  licentious 
city  in  Europe,  the  deep  seriousness,  and  even  enthu- 
siastic melancholy  of  her  character — dispositions  that 
find  expression  in  many  of  her  works — kept  her  aloof 
from  contact  with  vice,  and  her  moral  purity  and 
worth  were  as  conspicuous  and  as  universally  recog- 
nized as  her  genius.  Her  own  house  at  Venice  was 
adorned  with  portraits  and  original  compositions. 


KOSALBA  CAKKIEKA.  229 

This  valuable  collection  she  sold  at  a  high  price  to 
the  King  of  Poland,  who  placed  them  in  a  special  cab- 
inet of  his  palace  in  Dresden. 

In  the  bloom  of  her  career  and  her  fame,  Kosalba 
accompanied  her  brother-in-law  Pellegrini  to  France. 
She  remained  a  year  at  the  house  of  M.  Crozat.  Two 
portraits  of  the  king  were  done  by  her  in  pastel,  and 
one  in  miniature,  besides  a  victoire  for  a  snuff-box 
which  his  majesty  gave  to  Madame  de  Yentadour. 

Several  groups  and  demi-figures,  designed  by  Pel- 
legrini and  executed  by  Kosalba,  are  preserved  in 
Paris,  with  many  heads  in  pastel  done  for  Crozat. 
Many  of  her  symbolical  pictures — such  as  the  Muses, 
Sciences,  Seasons,  etc.  —  were  purchased  by  English 
travelers.  Her  crayon  -  drawings  were  distinguished 
by  softness  and  life-like  freshness.  She  became  a 
member  of  the  Paris  Academy  in  October,  1720.  Her 
tableau  de  reception  was  a  Muse  in  pastel.  The  con- 
noisseurs esteemed  her  portraits  for  their  perfect  like- 
ness, delicacy  of  touch,  wonderful  lightness,  peculiar 
grace,  and  admirable  coloring  and  expression.  They 
were  unrivaled  of  their  kind. 

An  anecdote  has  been  mentioned  of  a  lady  of  rank 
who  wished  to  study  painting  under  Rosalba,  but  knew 
she  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  take  pupils.  The 
lady  presented  herself  in  the  disguise  of  a  maid-serv- 
ant, and  desired  employment  at  the  house  of  the  dis- 
tinguished paintress.  Eosalba  was  pleased  with  her 
appearance,  and  at  once'  engaged  her  services.  While 
faithfully  performing  her  tasks,  the  lady  incessantly 
watched  the  proceedings  of  the  artist ;  and,  by  dint  of 
careful  observation,  succeeded  in  learning  much  of  the 
art.  Rosalba  noticed  the  extraordinary  quickness  of 
her  maid  in  these  matters ;  and,  willing  to  give  to  na- 


230  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

tive  talent  all  the  aid  in  her  power,  invited  the  girl  to 
observe  her  while  painting,  and  gave  her  valuable  in- 
struction. The  secret  was  at  last  discovered.  The 
lady  became  afterward  an  artist  so  skillful  in  minia- 
tures, that  she  received  an  appointment  from  a  Ger- 
man prince  as  painter  at  his  court. 

An  Italian  writes  concerning  her :  "  Nature  had  en- 
dowed Eosalba  with  lofty  aspirations  and  a  passionate 
soul,  and  her  heart  yearned  for  that  response  which 
her  absence  of  personal  attractions  failed  to  win.  She 
was  aware  of  her  extreme  plainness ;  and  had  she  ig- 
nored it,  the  Emperor  Charles  XI.  enlightened  her, 
when,  turning  to  Bertoli,  a  court  artist,  who  presented 
her  in  Vienna,  he  said,  'She  may  be  clever,  Bertoli 
mio,  this  painter  of  thine,  but  she  is  remarkably  ugly.' 
But  Eosalba,  even  if  annoyed,  could  well  afford  to 
smile,  for  Charles  XI.  was  the  ugliest  of  men." 

While  in  France,  Kosalba  wrote  a  journal  which 
was  entitled  "Diario  degli  anni  1720  e  1721.  Scritto 
da  Eosalba  Camera."  It  appeared  in  Venice  in  1793, 
with  notes  by  Giovanni  Vianelli,  who  had  a  fine  col- 
lection of  her  paintings. 

From  Paris  she  went  laden  with  honors  to  the  im- 
perial court  at  Vienna,  where,  besides  the  emperor  and 
empress,  she  painted  the  archduchesses  and  others  of 
the  court.  The  King  of  Poland  had  a  number  of  her 
pastels,  which  were  highly  valued. 

Zanetti  remarks :  "  Much  of  interest  may  be  said  of 
this  celebrated  and  highly -gifted  woman,  whose  spirit 
— in  the  midst  of  her  triumphs  and  the  brightest 
visions  of  happiness — was  weighed  down  with  the  an- 
ticipation of  a  heavy  calamity.  On  one  occasion — 
when  she  had  painted  a  portrait  of  herself,  with  the 
brow  wreathed  with  gloomy  leaves,  significant  of 


EOSALBA  CARRIEEA.  231 

death — her  friends  asked  why  she  had  done  this. 
She  replied  that  the  representation  was  an  image  of 
her  life,  and  that  her  end  would  be  tragic,  according 
to  the  meaning  here  shadowed  forth.  This  portrait 
was  afterward  in  the  possession  of  Giambattista  Sar- 
tori,  a  brother  of  her  famous  pupil  Felicita  Sartori. 
He  preserved  it  as  a  sacred  relic.  His  sister  married 
Von  Hoffmann,  and  painted  with  much  success  at  the 
court  of  the  Elector  of  Saxony. 

It  seemed,  indeed,  that  the  presentiment  of  a  fast 
approaching  and  terrible  affliction,  amid  the  strict  se- 
clusion in  which  Eosalba  lived,  had  taken  possession 
of  this  noble  and  gifted  spirit.  It  might  be  that  her 
solitary  existence  tended  to  sadden  her  temperament, 
and  deepen  its  natural  inclination  to  melancholy.  The 
forewarning,  of  which  even  in  youth  she  felt  conscious, 
was  mournfully  fulfilled  ere  she  had  long  passed  her 
prime.  Before  she  was  fifty  years  of  age  she  became 
totally  blind,  as  she  had  feared.  Her  mind  struggled 
long  with  weakness  and  incurable  sorrow,  but  sank  at 
last,  and  the  light  of  reason  too  departed. 

The  latter  part  of  her  life  was  a  blank,  yet  she 
lingered  to  old  age,  dying  in  Venice,  on  the  15th  of 
April,  1757.  Amid  the  universal  expression  of  un- 
affected sorrow  and  commiseration,  she  was  buried  in 
the  church  of  San  Sista  a  Modesta.  She  left  consider- 
able property.  Her  grave  is  still  pointed  out  to  the 
traveler  as  the  last  resting-place  of  one  whose  genius 
was  an  ornament  to  Venice. 

Many  of  her  works  have  been  engraved.  The 
Dresden  Gallery  has  the  largest  collection,  numbering 
one  hundred  and  fifty -seven  pieces. 

The  engraving  of  Rosalba's  portrait  shows  a  youth- 
ful face,  with  a  pleased  expression  of  childish  inno- 


232  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

cence.  The  hair  is  brushed  back  from  the  forehead 
on  the  top,  but  curls  cluster  around  the  face  on  the 
sides ;  earrings  are  worn,  and  the  corsage  is  low.  The 
eyes  are  dark,  the  forehead  is  high,  and  the  whole 
head  has  a  graceful  air. 

Like  Kosalba  Camera,  Ippolita  Yenier  was  a  native 
of  Venice,  though  she  lived  at  Udina  with  the  painter 
her  father.  In  1765  she  painted  the  Adoration  of  the 
Kings,  for  a  church  in  the  sea-born  city.  Felicita 
Sartori  was  a  pupil  of  Kosalba,  and  worked  in  Dres- 
den, whither  she  went  with  her  husband. 

Apollonia  de  Forgue,  born  in  1767,  assisted  her 
husband,  Seydelman,  with  his  pictures.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  Academy  in  Dresden. 


CLOSE  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY.        233 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 

More  vigorous  Growth  of  the  Branches  selected  for  female  Enterprise. 

—  Progress  accelerated  toward  the  Close  of  last  Century. — Still 
more  remarkable  within  the  last  fifty  Years.  —  Great  Number  of 
Women  active  in  Art.  —  Better  intellectual  Cultivation  and  grow- 
ing Taste. — Increased  Freedom  of  Woman. — Present  Prospect  fair. 
— Growing  Sense  of  the  Importance  of  Female  Education. — Wom- 
en earning  an  Independence.  —  The  Stream  shallows  as  it  widens. 

—  Few  Instances  of  pre-eminent  Ability.  —  Fuller  Scope  of  the  In- 
fluence of  the  French  Masters  in  the  nineteenth  Century. — David, 
the  Republican  Painter. — His  female  Pupils. — Angclique  Mongez. 
— Madame  Davin  and  others.  —  Disciples  of  Greuze.  —  Female 
Scholars  of  Regnault. — Pupils  of  the  Disciples  of  David. — Pupils 
of  Fleury  and  Cogniet. — Madame  Chaudet. — Kinds  of  Painting  in 
Vogue. — The  Princess  Marie  d'Orleans. — Her  Statue  of  the  Maid 
of  Orleans. — Her  last  Work. — Promise  of  Greatness. — Sculpture 
by  Madame  de  Lamartine.  —  "Paris  is  France."  —  Painting  on 
Porcelain. — Madame  Jacotot  and  others. — Condition  of  Art  in 
Germany.  — Carstens.  — Women  Artists.  — Maria  Ellenrieder. — 
Louise  Seidler. — Baroness  von  Freiberg. — Mad.ame  von  Schroeter. 
— Female  Artists  of  the  Diisseldorf  School. — The  greatest  Number 
in  Berlin. — Rich  Bloom  of  Female  Talent  in  Vienna  and  Dresden. 
— Changes  in  Italy. — Prospect  not  fair  in  Spain  and  Scandinavia. 

—  In  England,  Sculpture  and  Painting  successfully  cultivated.  — 
Fanny  Corbeaux. — Superior  in  Biblical  Scholarship. — The  Nether- 
lands in  this  Century. — Encouragement  for  Women  to  persevere. 
— Dr.  Guhl's  Opinion. — History  the  Teacher  of  the  Present. 

WITH  the  foregoing  glimpses,  the  sketch,  of  woman's 
active  efforts  in  art  during  the  eighteenth  century 
may  be  closed ;  completing  our  bird's-eye  view  of  her 
share  in  those  ennobling  pursuits  during  a  history 
covering  over  two  thousand  years.  As  we  approach 
the  present  time,  the  various  branches  in  which  her 


234  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

enterprise  lias  been  influential  develop  into  more  dis- 
tinct and  vigorous  growth.  It  may  now  be  interest- 
ing to  notice  the  indications  of  our  own — the  nine- 
teenth century. 

The  progress  of  female  talent  and  skill,  accelerated 
toward  the  close  of  the  preceding  age,  has  become 
more  remarkable  than  ever  within  the  last  fifty  years. 
The  number  of  women  engaged  in  the  pursuits  of  art 
during  that  time  far  exceeds  that  of  the  whole  preced- 
ing century. 

This  accession  is  probably  owing,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, to  the  more  general  appreciation  of  art,  growing 
out  of  better  intellectual  cultivation,  and  to  the  grow- 
ing taste  for  paintings  and  statuary  as  ornaments  of 
the  abodes  of  the  wealthy.  But  it  is  due,  in  some 
degree,  to  the  increased  freedom  of  woman — to  her 
liberation  from  the  thraldom  of  old-fashioned  preju- 
dices and  unworthy  restraints  which,  in  former  times, 
fettered  her  energies,  rendered  her  acquisition  of  scien- 
tific and  artistic  knowledge  extremely  difficult,  and 
threw  obstacles  in  the  way  of  her  devotion  to  study 
and  the  exercise  of  her  talents.  We  have  seen  that, 
the  more  enlarged  is  the  sphere  of  her  activity  among 
any  people,  the  greater  is  the  number  of  female  artists 
who  have  done  and  are  doing  well,  by  their  sustained 
and  productive  cultivation  of  art. 

At  the  present  time,  the  prospect  is  fair  of  a  reward 
for  study  and  unfaltering  application  in  woman  as  in 
man ;  her  freedom — without  regarding  as  such  the  so- 
called  "  emancipation,"  which  would  urge  her  into  a 
course  against  nature,  and  contrary  to  the  gentleness 
and  modesty  of  her  sex — is  greater,  and  the  sphere  of 
her  activity  is  wider  and  more  effective  than  it  has 
ever  been.  The  general  and  growing  apprehension  of 


INFLUENCE  OF  MODERN  MASTERS.  235 

the  importance  of  female  education  will  gradually  lead 
to  dissatisfaction  with  the  superficial  culture  of  mod- 
ern schools,  and  to  the  adoption  of  some  plan  that  shall 
develop  the  powers  of  those  who  are  taught,  and 
strengthen  their  energies  for  the  active  duties  of  life. 
Many  advantages  besides  these  have  encouraged  the 
advancement  of  women  as  artists  beyond  any  point 
reached  in  preceding  ages.  We  may  thus  find  an  in- 
creasing number  of  young  women  who,  bent  on  mak- 
ing themselves  independent  by  their  own  efforts,  spare 
no  pains  to  qualify  themselves  as  teachers  in  various 
branches  of  art. 

The  same  observation  we  made  in  regard  to  the  in- 
crease of  art  scholars  in  the  last  century  is  true  of  the 
present.  The  stream  which  has  widened  has  grown 
shallower  in  proportion ;  and  while  the  cultivation  of 
taste  and  talent  has  become  more  general,  and  many 
more  have  attained  a  respectable  degree  of  skill,  there 
are  few  instances  of  pre-eminent  ability,  or  of  original 
genius.  This  seems  a  law  of  the  world  of  art,  as  well 
as  that  of  poetry  and  science ;  and  it  holds  good  no 
less  among  men  than  women.  We  must  look,  there- 
fore, for  not  many  remarkable  examples  of  talent. 

We  have  already  seen  something  of  the  influence  of 
Carstens  and  David  in  the  bent  and  direction  given  to 
female  talent ;  but  these  had  not  full  scope  till  the  be- 
ginning of  the  nineteenth  century.  David  was  inspired 
by  a  more  earnest  feeling  than  had  breathed  in  the 
frivolous  and  conventional  style  of  a  former  period ; 
and  the  depth  and  vigor,  and  more  careful  execution 
he  brought  into  vogue,  greatly  improved  the  taste  of 
his  day.  He  may  be  called  the  Eepublican  painter, 
laying  the  ground- work  of  French  art  as  it  now  ex- 
ists. 


236  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

David  himself  had  a  goodly  number  of  female  pu- 
pils, and  some  of  them  displayed  no  inconsiderable 
talent.  Among  them  may  be  enumerated  Constance 
Marie  Charpentier,  who,  besides,  enjoyed  the  advant- 
age of  instruction  under  Gerard  and  Lafitte,  with  An- 
gelique  Mongez,  at  first  the  pupil  of  David,  then  of 
Eegnault.  She  painted  a  large  picture  entirely  in  the 
classic  style  of  David.  Her  painting — the  figures  life 
size — represented  "  Ulysses  finding  young  Astyanax 
at  Hector's  Grave."  The  design  is  correct  of  the  an- 
tique costume,  the  disposition  is  excellent,  and  a  free 
and  light  touch  is  noticed.  So  large  a  picture  had. 
rarely  been  exhibited  in  Paris  by  a  woman.  This  art- 
ist, however,  lacked  originality  and  self-reliance,  and 
seemed  to  follow  David  too  slavishly.  Another  large 
picture  was  "Alexander  weeping  at  the  Death  of  the 
Wife  of  Darius."  The  connoisseurs  gave  her  the  cred- 
it of  a  grand  style,  but  thought  her  coloring  hard. 

To  these  may  be  added  Madame  Leroulx  and  Ma- 
dame Davin.  The  latter  received  instruction,  also,  from 
Suve*  and  Augustin,  and  obtained  the  gold  medal  for 
her  miniatures  and  genre-paintings.  Nanine  Ballain 
was  noted  for  her  genre-paintings;  and  Marie  Anne 
Julie  Forestier,  for  her  romantic  ones  in  this  style  and 
for  her  classic  pictures. 

Contemporary  with  these  were  some  female  artists 
who  painted  in  the  manner  of  Greuze ;  as  Constance 
Mayer,  afterward  a  disciple  and  friend  of  Prudhon ; 
Madame  Elie,  and  Philiberte  Ledoux;  the  first  well 
known  for  her  portraits,  the  latter  for  her  scenes  and 
child-pictures.  "We  may  mention,  in  passing,  Madame 
Tillers,  whose  numerous  works  were  marked  by  truth 
and  pleasing  expression.  One  of  her  pieces,  "A  Child 
asleep  in  a  Cradle,"  carried  away  by  a  flood,  while  a 


FEMALE  ARTISTS  IN  FRANCE.  237 

faithful  dog  plunges  in  to  save  it,"  with  eager  expres- 
sion, is  very  striking  and  graceful. 

Regnault,  the  rival  of  David,  had  the  honor  of  many 
more  female  scholars.  One  of  them,  Madame  Anzon, 
painted  large  pictures  in  1793.  Sophie  Guillernard 
sent  to  the  Exhibition,  in  1802,  "  Alcibiades  and  Gly- 
cerion,"  and,  two  years  later,  her  "  Joseph  and  Poti- 
phar's  Wife."  After  this,  Claire  Kobineau  produced 
historical  pictures  and  landscapes,  and  Kosalie  de  La- 
fontaine  her  delicate  genre-paintings.  Aurore  Etienne 
de  Lafond  and  Eugenie  Brun  obtained  medals  for  their 
master-pieces  in  miniature-painting.  Madame  Lenoir 
painted  Sage's  portrait,  and  was  much  esteemed.  A 
host  of  names  might  be  added,  were  a  mere  list  de- 
sirable. 

The  disciples  and  imitators  of  David  also  numbered 
women  among  their  pupils.  Drolling's  daughter,  Lou- 
ise Adeone,  studied  under  his  direction ;  her  first  hus- 
band was  Pagnierre  the  architect.  Fanny  Kobert  was 
trained  in  Girodet's  atelier ;  Abel  de  Pujol  taught  Ad- 
rienne  Marie  Louise  Grandpierre  Deverzy ;  and  Gerard 
finished  some  of  David's  scholars,  as  Eleonore  Gode- 
froy,  who  exhibited  portraits  and  copies  from  her  mas- 
ter after  1810,  and  Louise  de  Montferrier,  Co^ftesse  de 
Hugo,  whose  genre-paintings  were  brought  to  the  Ex- 
hibition nine  years  later.  Madame  von  Butlar,  of 
Dresden,  studied  under  this  master  in  1823. 

These  were  the  latest  masters  in  serious  historical 
painting  till  Robert  Fleury  and  Leon  Cogniet,  who 
could  perhaps  boast  the  greatest  number  of  gifted  fe- 
male pupils.  We  should  mention  here  Jeanne  Eliza- 
beth Gabiou,  the  wife  of  Antoine  Denis  Chaudet,  born 
in  1767,  and  dying  about  1830.  She  was  a  pupil  of 
her  husband,  and  painted  "  A  Child  Teaching  a  Dog 


238  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

to  Bead,"  with  many  charming  little  pieces  of  the 
kind ;  excelling,  too,  as  a  portrait-painter.  The  em- 
press bought  one  of  her  pictures. 

The  majority  of  French  women  artists  of  this  period 
busied  themselves  with  portraits.  Flower-painting 
was  also  much  in  vogue,  and  miniature  and  porcelain 
painting  furnished  continual  employment  for  female 
industry  and  talent. 

In  modeling  and  sculpture  France  has  produced 
some  excellent  artists  since  the  commencement  of  the 
present  century. 

MARIE  D'ORLEANS. 

One  in  particular,  of  illustrious  station  and  royal 
blood,  too  early  snatched  away  by  death,  has  conferred 
lustre  upon  the  whole  class  by  whom  the  difficult  and 
delicate  art  has  been  cultivated. 

Marie  of  Qrleans,  the  daughter  of  Louis  Philippe,  is 
thus  mentioned  in  Mrs.  Lee's  "  Sketches." 

"  She  was  born  at  Palermo  in  1813,  and  was  mar- 
ried in  1837  to  Duke  Alexander  of  Wurtemberg.  Her 
health  was  impaired,  and  she  went  to  Pisa  in  the  hope 
of  recovering,  but  died  there  in  1839.  Her  statue  of 
the  Mai^of  Orleans  is  of  the  size  of  life,  and  is  placed 
at  Versailles ;  it  is  full  of  animation  and  spirit.  But 
her  last  work,  an  angel  in  white  marble,  seems  to  be 
the  result  of  inspiration.  It  is  in  the  chapel  of  Sablon- 
ville,  on  the  sarcophagus  of  her  brother.  It  may  be 
deeply  lamented  that  the  Princess  Marie  did  not  live 
to  give  additional  proofs  of  the  capability  of  her  sex 
for  works  of  sculpture.  Her  early  death  frustrated 
the  efforts  of  a  genius  which  bade  fair  to  compete  with 
the  graceful  forms  of  Canova  or  Flaxman." 

Mrs.  Lee  says,  "  We  were  much  gratified  by  seeing 


FEMALE  ARTISTS  IN  FRANCE.  239 

a  font  in  the  church  St.  Germain  de  1'Auxerrois  in 
Paris,  by  Madame  Lamartine,  the  wife  of  the  poet  and 
historian;  the  font  is  surrounded  by  marble  angels, 
who  rest  on  its  margin.  It  is  a  beautiful  record  of 
her  taste,  ingenuity,  and  benevolence." 

Paris  at  this  period,  more  emphatically  than  ever, 
was  the  centre  of  active  efforts  among  artists.  "Paris 
— Jest  la  France11  was  an  expression  as  true  as  in  the 
literary  and  political  life  of  the  nation.  This  was  ad- 
vantageous for  the  development  of  talent,  and  the  ad- 
vance of  skill  in  details ;  bringing  rival  merits  more 
keenly  into  conflict,  and  furnishing  the  student  with 
more  varied  means  of  instruction. 

Painting  on  porcelain  became  much  practiced  by 
French  women  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  century. 
Amelie  Legris  was  skilled  in  it,  as  well  as  in  painting 
in  oil,  miniatures,  and  aquarell. 

Madame  Jacotot  was  noted  for  her  beautiful  paint- 
ings on  porcelain.  She  was  sent  to  Italy  by  the 
French  government  to  copy  the  paintings  of  Kaphael. 
She  lived  in  style,  was  in  much  society,  and  was  dis- 
tinguished for  her  wit. 

Madame  Ducluzeau  is  the  wife  of  a  physician,  and 
has  gained  considerable  celebrity  as  an  artist.  The 
Comtesse  de  Mirbel  painted  miniatures.  Louis  Phil- 
ippe, and  many  persons  of  his  court,  and  the  nobility, 
sat  to  her.  She  was  employed  to  copy  paintings  for 
cadeaus  to  royalty. 

Madame  Aizelin  had  some  charming  pieces  in  pastel 
in  the  Paris  Exhibition,  1857.  Transparency  of  tissue 
was  never  better  rendered  than  in  her  gauze  drapery. 
Madame  Fontaine,  a  pupil  of  Cogniet,  excelled  in  the 
department  of  still-life.  Mademoiselle  Augustine  Au- 
mont  had  twelve  panels,  giving  the  flowers  of  each 


240  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

month.  Miss  Mutrie,  Mademoiselle  Alloin,  pupil  of 
Kosa  Bonheur,  and  many  other  women,  were  praised 
for  beautiful  groups  of  fruit  and  flowers.  In  this 
branch,  as  in  portraits,  miniatures,  and  porcelain-paint- 
ing, the  palm  of  excellence  is  awarded  to  lady  artists. 
The  productions  of  Madame  Herbalin  were  conspicu- 
ous for  delicacy  and  purity  of  execution  and  coloring. 

Casting  a  glance  at  the  condition  of  art  at  this 
period  in  Germany,  it  is  noticeable  that  women  took 
part  with  enthusiasm  in  almost  every  branch.  We 
have  observed  the  grounding  of  modern  art  in  this 
country  by  Carstens.  He  went  back  to  the  purer 
forms  of  the  antique,  as  his  French  contemporary, 
David,  had  done ;  and  his  restoration  of  purity,  vigor, 
and  tenderness,  found  earnest  sympathy  among  his 
fair  countrywomen.  A  style  expressing  the  heart's 
deepest  feelings,  and  the  religious  veneration  which 
had  become  traditional,  could  not  fail  to  meet  the  as- 
pirations of  noble-minded  female  artists. 

Among  artist-women  who  flourished  at  the  close 
of  the  eighteenth  and  in  the  present  century  we  may 
mention  Mademoiselle  Sonnenschein,  who  died  in 
1816,  a  member  of  the  Academy  in  Stuttgard.  We 
should  not  drop,  among  minor  names,  that  of  Sophie 
Ludovika  Simanowitz,  born  Eeighenbach,  whose  por- 
trait of  Schiller  is  well  known. 

Magdalena  Tischbein,  a  flower-painter,  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  noted  artist,  married  the  court  painter  Strack, 
of  Oldenburg,  in  1795. 

The  Princess  of  Saxe-Meiningen  was  noted  for  her 
beautiful  pictures  illustrating  Bible  history. 

Mary  Anna  Bosenbacher,  of  Cologne,  an  engraver, 
was  engaged  in  the  service  of  the  Elector  Max  Fran- 
cis. 


IN  GERMANY.  241 

Barbara  Krafft,  born  Steiner,  of  Iglau,  painted  a 
number  of  genre-pictures  of  life  size,  and  in  this  branch 
was  the  precursor  of  Madame  Jerichow-Baumann.  She 
died  in  Bamberg,  in  1825,  aged  sixty. 

One  who  was  busy  in  Eome  at  this  time  was  Maria 
Ellenrieder.  She  had  before  visited  the  Academy  in 
Munich  for  the  purpose  of  educating  herself  in  his- 
torical painting.  In  her  works  she  sought  to  revive 
the  spirit  of  ancient  German  art,  and  her  longings 
drew  her  to  the  city  which  has  long  been  the  resort 
of  ambitious  art-students,  where  we  find  her  in  1820. 
Among  her  productions  are  many  altar-pieces,  repre- 
senting the  Holy  Family.  Some  have  been  litho- 
graphed. Since  1825  she  has  lived  in  Germany,  where 
she  has  completed  many  works,  and  has  practiced  the 
art  of  etching. 

Louise  Caroline  Seidler  was  at  the  same  time  in 
Eome.  Born  in  Jena,  she  studied  painting  in  Munich 
under  Professor  Yon  Langer,  afterward  going  to  Italy 
to  profit  by  the  works  of  Pietro  Perugino  and  Eaphael. 
She  received  the  appointment  of  court  painter  in  "Wei- 
mar, and  executed  several  pictures  that  belong  to  the 
romantic  genre  school.  A  splendid  fruit  of  her  study 
of  the  old  masters  is  a  collection  of  heads  taken  from 
celebrated  pictures  of  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  cen- 
turies. These  were  lithographed  by  Yon  Schmeller, 
and  published  in  "Weimar  in  1836. 

Among  the  German  artists  in  Eome  at  the  same 
period  was  Electrine  Stuntz,  afterward  Baroness  von 
Freiberg.  She  was  the  daughter  of  a  landscape-paint- 
er of  Strasburg,  and  devoted  herself  to  historical 
pieces.  She  was  in  the  Eternal  City  during  1821  and 
the  following  year,  and  was  elected  an  honorary  mem- 
ber of  the  Academy  of  San  Luca,  occupying  a  position 

L 


242  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

similar  to  that  held  by  Angelica  Kaiiffman.  Her 
works  have  a  serious  character,  and  Madonna  pictures 
abound  in  them.  About  1823  she  was  married  to 
Baron  von  Freiberg,  and  thenceforward  divided  her 
cares  between  her  family  and  her  art.  Several  of  her 
etchings  were  greatly  admired,  and  brought  her  high 
reputation. 

Madame  Caroline  von  Schroeter  belongs  to  the 
same  period.  She  became  distinguished  in  Rome  in 
1826  by  her  beautiful  miniature-paintings,  and  was 
there  chosen  member  of  the  Academy  of  San  Luca. 

A  few  female  artists  belonged  to  the  Diisseldorf 
school,  while  in  Weimar  they  were  indefatigable  in 
supporting  the  ancient  reputation.  But  the  greatest 
number  is  to  be  found  in  Berlin.  The  impetus  there 
given  in  various  departments  of  learning,  and  the  pa- 
tronage of  royal  connoisseurs,  with  the  superior  culti- 
vation of  the  people,  had  the  happiest  effect,  and 
brought  out  the  richest  bloom  of  female  talent.  No 
branch  of  modern  art  has  there  been  neglected  by 
women,  and  several  have  displayed  a  genius  for  sculp- 
ture. Dilettanti  of  the  highest  rank  have  turned  their 
attention  to  painting;  and  those  who  have  pursued 
art  as  a  profession,  from  dignified  history -pieces  down 
to  flowers  and  landscapes,  have  met  with  encouraging 
success.  In  flower-painting  and  arabesques  some  very 
important  improvements  have  recently  been  made. 

In  the  other  cities  of  Germany,  where  women  have 
successfully  engaged  in  such  pursuits,  less  has  been 
done.  Few  have  taken  to  the  profession  in  Vienna, 
though  Dresden  has  maintained  the  old  repute  in  this 
particular,  and  her  Academy  is  to  this  day  a  genial 
nursery  of  female  talent. 

Italy,  the  birthplace  of  the  fine  arts,  has  experienced 


FANNY  COKBEAUX.  243 

the  change  common  to  all  mundane  things,  and  the 
participation  of  her  women  in  art  is  by  no  means  so 
great  and  significant  as  in  earlier  ages.  Yet  a  few 
names  may  be  ranked  with  those  who  have  gone  be- 
fore. Turin,  Milan,  and  Eome  have  each  produced 
fair  artists  of  distinction  in  various  branches,  and 
their  success  promises  to  open  the  way  to  future  en- 
terprise. 

Not  so  fair  is  the  prospect  in  Spain  and  among  the 
Scandinavian  nations.  In  England,  on  the  other  hand, 
both  sculpture  and  painting  have  been  successfully 
cultivated  during  the  present  century.  We  may  men- 
tion, in  passing,  Fanny  Corbeaux,  an  artist  and  distin- 
guished Biblical  scholar,  born  in  1812.  When  she 
was  only  fifteen  years  of  age  her  father  suddenly  lost 
his  property,  and  became  indigent.  The  daughter  had 
received  only  superficial  instruction  in  drawing,  but 
determined  to  use  her  small  skill  to  support  her  father 
and  herself.  With  the  ardent  spirit  of  youth  she 
threw  herself  into  the  undertaking,  sparing  herself  no 
severe  labor,  and  so  well  directed  were  her  efforts  that, 
before  the  end  of  the  year,  she  obtained  a  silver  medal 
for  water-color  drawings.  Within  the  next  three  years 
she  received  another  similar  token  of  approbation,  and 
the  gold  medal  of  the  Society  of  Arts. 

All  this  time  she  had  been  her  own  instructor.  She 
afterward  painted  small  pictures  in  oil  and  water- 
colors,  but  confined  herself  chiefly  to  portraits.  Her 
superiority  in  Bibilical  scholarship  was  shown  by  a 
valuable  series  of  letters  on  the  Physical  Geography 
of  the  Exodus.  She  published  another  series  entitled 
"  The  Eephaim." 

Fanny  is  described  as  being  small,  with  figure  slight- 
ly bent,  but  cheerful  and  charming  in  manner.  Her 


244  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

mother,  living  with  her,  is  said  to  be  lively  and  agile 
in  movement. 

Miss  Merrifield  is  the  author  of  a  treatise  on  the  Art 
of  Painting. 

A  "Society  of  Female  Artists"  was  established  in 
London  in  1857.  Among  its  members,  and  now  secre- 
tary to  the  association,  is  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Murray,  the 
wife  of  the  English  Consul  at  TenerifFe.  She  has  great 
celebrity  as  a  water-color  artist.  Her  style  is  dashing 
and  vigorous,  but  highly  finished ;  her  coloring  bright, 
transparent,  pure,  and  sparkling,  though  something  de- 
ficient in  depth  and  middle  tint.  Mrs.  Murray  has  late- 
ly published  a  book  entitled  "  Sixteen  Years  of  an 
Artist's  Life,  etc."  She  says  of  herself:  "  A  vagabond 
from  a  baby,  I  left  England  at  eighteen,  independent, 
having  neither  master  nor  money.  My  pencil  was 
both  to  me,  and,  at  the  same  time,  my  strength,  my 
comfort,  and  my  intense  delight."  Honorable  Mrs. 
Monckton  Mills,  Miss  Louisa  Eayner,  Miss  Florence 
Caxton,  and  others,  are  mentioned  with  praise.  Mrs. 
Benham  Hay  is  known  as  the  illustrator  of  Longfel- 
low's Poems ;  and  Barbara  Leigh  Smith,  an  admirable 
writer,  is  an  excellent  artist.  Of  Miss  Mutrie's  work 
Mr.  Euskin  says :  "  It  is  always  beautiful ;"  and  Miss 
Howitt  and  Mrs.  Carpenter  are  noted  as  artists.  Many 
whose  names  are  now  beginning  to  be  familiar  have 
hardly  yet  done  justice  to  their  own  powers. 

The  Netherlands  have  done  their  share  during  the 
present  century,  preserving  the  old  Dutch  reputation, 
and  producing  a  number  of  women  who  have  made 
themselves  independent  by  the  exercise  of  skill  in  dif- 
ferent departments  of  art. 

The  encouragement  Goethe  has  given,  in  his  ob- 
servations on  the  women  artists  of  his  day,  is  applica- 


ENCOURAGING  PROSPECTS.  245 

ble  to  those  of  the  present.  They  have  taken  more 
firm  hold,  and  manifested  yet  more  ability  in  the  pro- 
fession. If  many  of  them  have  been  deficient  in  cre- 
ative power,  they  have  shown  themselves  capable  of 
the  highest  excellence  in  the  tender,  the  graceful,  the 
pathetic,  the  ideal,  and  in  the  delicacy  and  quick  per- 
ception, which  often  achieves  so  much,  as  by  intuition. 
Dr.  Gruhl  regards  the  indications  of  the  present  age  as 
exceedingly  promising,  and  urges  women  to  enlarged 
ambition  and  activity.  Severe  exertions  are  demand- 
ed, but  when  was  any  success  worth  having  command- 
ed without  them?  The  time  is  now  ripe  for  their 
emulation  of  their  most  eminent  rivals  of  the  other 
sex,  not  by  laying  aside  womanly  delicacy,  but  by  la- 
bors entirely  consistent  with  that  true  modesty  which 
will  ever  be  the  most  attractive  ornament  of  the  sex. 
History  is  the  great  teacher  of  the  present ;  and  what 
we  have  seen  of  the  achievements  of  by -gone  ages  is  so 
full  of  encouragement,  that  it  is  but  reasonable  to  look 
for  still  greater  triumphs  in  the  wider  arena  now  open- 
ed, than  have  yet  crowned  the  genius  or  the  persever- 
ing industry  of  woman. 


246  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 

Felicie  de  Fauveau. — Parentage. — Her  Mother  a  Legitimist. — The 
Daughter's  Inheritance  of  Loyalty. — Removals. — Felicie's  Studies. 
— Learns  to  Model. — Resolves  to  be  a  Sculptor. — Labor  becoming 
to  a  Gentlewoman. — Her  first  Works. — Early  Triumphs. — Social 
Circle  in  Paris. — Evening  Employments. — Revival  of  a  peculiar 
Taste.  —  Mediaeval  Fashions.  —  The  bronze  Lamp.  —  Equestrian 
Sketch.— Effect  of  the  Revolution  of  1830.— The  two  Felicies  leave 
Paris. — A  rural  Conspiracy. — A  domiciliary  Visit. — Escape  of  the 
Ladies. — Discovery  and  Capture. — The  Stratagem  at  the  Inn. — 
Escape  of  Madame  in  Disguise. — Imprisonment  of  Mademoiselle. 
— Works  in  Prison. — Return  to  Paris. — Politics  again. — Felicie 
banished. — Breaks  up  her  Studio.; — Poverty  and  Privation. — Resi- 
dence in  Florence. — Brighter  Days. — Character  of  Felicie. — Per- 
sonal Appearance. — Her  Dwelling  and  Studio.  —  Her  Works. — 
The  casting  of  a  bronze  Statue. — Industry  and  Retirement. — "A 
good  Woman  and  a  great  Artist." — ROSA  BONHEUR. — Her  Birth  in 
Bordeaux. — Her  Father. — Rosa  a  Dunce  in  Childhood. — Her  Par- 
rot.— Rambles. — The  Spanish  Poet. — Removal  to  Paris. — Revolu- 
tion and  Misfortune. — Death  of  Madame  Bonheur. — The  Children 
at  School. — Rosa  detests  Books  and  loves  Roaming. — Remarriage 
of  Bonheur. — Rosa  a  Seamstress. — Hates  the  Occupation. — Prefers 
turning  the  Lathe. — Her  Unhappiness. — Placed  at  a  Boarding- 
school. — Her  Pranks  and  Caricatures. — Abhorrence  of  Study. — 
Mortification  at  her  Want  of  fine  Clothes. — Resolves  to  achieve  a 
Name  and  a  Place  in  the  World. — Discontent  and  Gloom. — Re- 
turn home. — Left  to  herself. — Works  in  the  Studio. — Her  Voca- 
tion apparent. — Studies  at  the  Louvre. — Her  Ardor  and  Applica- 
tion. —  The  Englishman's  Prophecy. — Rosa  vowed  to  Art.  —  De- 
voted to  the  Study  of  Animals.  —  Excursions  in  the  Country  in 
search  of  Models. — Visits  the  Abattoirs. — Study  of  various  Types. 
— Visits  the  Museums  and  Stables. — Resorts  to  the  horse  and  cat- 
tle Fairs  in  male  Attire. — Curious  Adventures. — Anatomical  Stud- 
ies.— Advantages  of  her  Excursions. — Her  Father  her  only  Teach- 


FELICIE   DE   FAUVEAU.  247 

er. — The  Family  of  Artists. — Rosa's  pet  Birds  and  Sheep. — Her 
first  Appearance. — Rising  Reputation. — Takes  the  gold  Medal. — 
Proclaimed  the  new  Laureat. — Death  of  her  Father. — Rosa  Di- 
rectress of  the  School  of  Design. — Her  Sister  a  Professor. — "The 
Horse-market." — Rosa's  Paintings. — Bestows  her  Fortune  on  others. 
— Her  Farm. — Drawings  presented  to  Charities. — Demand  for  her 
Paintings. — Her  Right  to  the  Cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honor. — The 
Emperor's  Refusal  to  grant  it  to  a  Woman. — Description  of  her 
Residence  and  her  Studio.  —  Rosa  found  asleep.  —  Her  personal 
Appearance. — Dress. — Her  Character. — Her  Industry. — Mademoi- 
selle Micas. — Mountain  Rambles. — Rosa's  Visit  to  Scotland. — Her 
Life  in  the  Mountains.  —  At  the  Spanish  Posada.  —  Threatened 
Starvation. — Cooking  Frogs.  —  The  Muleteers. — Rosa's  Scotch 
Terrier. — Her  Resolution  never  to  marry. 

FELICIE  DE  FAUVEAU. 

FELICIE  was  born  in  Tuscany,  but  was  taken,  when 
an  infant,  to  Paris,  where  her  education  commenced. 
Her  parents  were  persons  of  much  intelligence  and 
culture.  Her  mother  had  great  taste  for  music  and 
painting,  and  it  was  from  her  that  her  daughter's  tal- 
ents received  their  first  direction  and  encouragement. 
The  family  favored  the  aristocrats  and  Legitimists,  and 
endured  much  in  the  cause  of  the  Bourbons.  Ma- 
dame de  Fauveau's  eyes  had  opened  on  the  terrors  of 
the  guillotine,  and  she  was  as  proud  of  those  memo- 
ries of  exile,  proscription,  and  the  scaffold  as  most 
persons  are  of  honor  and  titles.  Her  chivalrous  loy- 
alty looked  on  them  as  dignities,  and  the  privilege  of 
suffering  for  the  family  to  which  she  was  devoted  was 
cheaply  earned  in  her  eyes  by  the  ruin  and  exile  of 
her  own. 

The  daughter  shared  in  the  mother's  chivalrous 
sentiments,  and  her  cherished  ideas  of  monarchy  and 
Romanism  became  perceptible  in  her  conversation  and 
works,  while  her  self-sacrificing  spirit  of  loyalty  re- 
mained the  same  amid  many  vicissitudes.  Owing  to 


248  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

pecuniary  losses,  her  parents  were  compelled,  while 
she  was  yet  very  young,  to  remove  successively  to 
Limoux,  Bayonne,  and  Besangon.  While  at  Bayonne, 
in  1823,  she  met  with  many  partisans  in  the  war  then 
raging  on  the  frontiers  of  Spain — men  whose  loyalty 
amounted  to  fanaticism,  and  whose  piety  belonged  to 
the  ancient  time  of  the  Crusades;  from  these  her 
youthful  imagination  must  have  received  powerful 
and  indelible  impressions. 

Her  studies  were  varied  and  profound;  ancient 
history,  classic  and  modern  languages,  heraldry,  and 
archeology  received  her  devoted  attention.  The 
feudal  and  chivalric  traditions  of  the  Middle  Ages 
were  explored  with  eagerness  by  her,  and  she  repro- 
duced and  utilized  the  knowledge  thus  acquired. 
During  her  residence  in  Besangon,  she  executed  some 
oil-paintings  which  were  much  praised ;  but  she  seem- 
ed to  feel  that  canvas  was  not  the  material  which 
would  most  fully  express  her  ideas.  She  had  then 
received  no  instruction  in  modeling.  One  day,  in  her 
walk,  she  paused  before  the  shop  of  one  of  the  work- 
men who  carve  images  of  virgins  and  saints  for  vil- 
lage churches.  Impelled  irresistibly,  she  entered  and 
made  inquiries  as  to  the  method  of  work,  learning 
thus  the  secrets  of  modeling  in  clay  or  wax,  and  of 
carving  wood  or  gold.  It  then  appeared  that  her  vo- 
cation was  decidedly  for  the  plastic  art.  She  had  the 
faculty  of  coloring  with  skill,  and  might  have  been  a 
great  painter,  had  she  not  resolved  to  be  a  sculptor. 
Her  taste  led  her  to  adopt  the  mediaeval  manner,  and 
she  took  Benevenuto  Cellini  for  her  prototype,  occu- 
pying herself  with  art  in  both  its  monumental  and, 
decorative  character. 

At  the  death  of  her  father,  the  family — consisting 


FELICIE  DE  FAUVEAU.  249 

of  the  widow,  two  sons  and  three  daughters — was  in 
some  distress.  Felicie  determined  to  devote  her  tal- 
ents to  their  support.  Some  of  her  friends  objected 
that  such  employment  was  unbecoming  one  who  be- 
longed to  a  noble  family.  "  Unbecoming  !"  said  she, 
drawing  herself  up  with  a  noble  pride ;  "  Sachez  qylun 
artiste  tel  que  moi  est  gentilhomme" 

The  first  work  she  exhibited  was  a  group  from 
Scott's  novel,  "  The  Abbot."  Encouraged  by  its  bril- 
liant success,  she  produced  a  basso-relievo,  consisting 
cf  six  figures — Christina  of  Sweden  and  Monaldeschi 
in  the  fatal  gallery  of  Fontainebleau.  This  work  was 
in  the  Exposition  des  Beaux  Arts,  and  it  received 
from  Charles  X.  in  person  the  gold  medal  awarded  by 
the  jury.  The  dramatic  energy  of  the  group,  the  ex- 
pression of  the  figures,  and  the  beauty  of  the  minor 
details  won  universal  admiration,  and  it  was  hailed  as 
offering  the  brightest  promise  of  future  excellence. 
The  triumphant  artist  was  then  a  girl  in  the  bloom  of 
early  youth ;  and,  flattered  and  delighted  at  the  ap- 
preciation she  met  with,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
that  her  resolution  to  adhere  to  the  career  she  had 
chosen  was  steadfast  and  immovable. 

Felicie  remained  in  Paris  with  her  family  till  1830. 
Her  mother's  house  was  the  centre  of  a  charming  circle 
of  persons  of  high  rank,  of  cultivated  women,  and  of 
accomplished  artists,  such  as  Scheffer,  Steuben,  Gras- 
sier, Paul  Delaroche,  Triqueti,  Gros,  Giraud,  etc.  So 
distinguished  and  agreeable  was  the  mother,  so  sen- 
sible and  so  witty  was  the  conversation  of  the  daugh- 
ter, that  their  society  was  coveted  and  prized.  The 
friends  assembled  of  an  evening  in  their  drawing-room 
would  gather  round  a  large  centre-table,  and  impro- 
vise drawings  in  pencil,  chalk,  and  pen  and  ink ;  or 

L2 


250  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

would  model,  in  clay  or  wax,  brooches  and  ornaments, 
sword  handles  and  scabbards,  dagger-hilts,  etc.  The 
young  lady  wished  to  revive  those  famous  days  when 
sculpture  lent  its  aid  to  the  gold  and  silver  smith,  the 
jeweler,  the  clock-maker,  and  the  armorer.  To  her 
may  be  chiefly  attributed  the  impulse  given  to  this 
taste  in  Paris — a  taste  that  infected  England  also,  re- 
viving mediaeval  fashions  for  ornaments,  and  also 
mediaeval  feelings  and  aspirations,  which  at  last  found 
expression  in  Puseyism  in  religion,  and  pre-Kaphael- 
ism  in  art. 

She  executed,  for  Count  Portales,  a  bronze  lamp  of 
singular  beauty,  representing  a  bivouac  of  archangels 
armed  as  knights.  They  are  resting  round  a  watch- 
fire,  while  one,  St.  Michael,  is  standing  sentinel.  It  is 
in  the  old  Anglo-Saxon  style.  Eound  the  lamp,  in 
golden  letters,  is  the  device,  li  Vaillant,  veillant."  Be- 
neath is  a  stork's  foot  holding  a  pebble,  a  symbol  of 
vigilance,  surrounded  by  beautiful  aquatic  plants. 
The  work  was  poetically  conceived,  and  executed 
with  great  spirit  and  finish.  She  also  commenced  a 
work  which  she  called  "a  monument  to  Dante,"  and 
sketched  an  equestrian  statue  of  Charles  VIII.  On 
returning  from  the  expedition  to  Naples,  it  was  said, 
the  monarch  paused  on  the  ascent  of  the  Alps,  and 
turned  to  take  a  last  farewell  of  the  beautiful  country 
— "  wooed,  not  wed" — which  he  so  unwillingly  aban- 
doned. The  sculptress  was  most  successful  in  render- 
ing this  expression  of  sadness  and  yearning.  The 
pose  of  the  horse  was  natural,  yet  commanding ;  and 
the  work  would  doubtless  have  been  a  master-piece ; 
but,  unfortunately,  the  model  had  to  be  destroyed,  on 
the  breaking  up  of  her  studio. 

Mademoiselle  de  Fauveau  had  now  acquired  an 


FELICIE   DE   FAUVEAU.  251 

eminence  and  gained  a  celebrity  which  must  have 
satisfied  the  most  ambitious.  She  was  incessantly 
occupied  with  commissions  for  most  of  the  private 
galleries  in  France ;  and  a  place  was  promised  her 
among  those  great  artists  who  are  employed  to  adorn 
public  monuments,  and  whose  works  enrich  public 
collections.  She  was  to  have  modeled  two  doors  for 
the  gallery  in  the  Louvre,  after  the  manner  of  Ghi- 
berti's  Gates  of  Paradise ;  a  baptistery  and  pulpit  in 
one  of  the  metropolitan  churches  had  been  already 
spoken  of,  when  the  revolution  of  1830  broke  up  this 
calm  and  noble  existence,  and  ended  her  career  in 
Paris. 

To  Mademoiselle  de  Fauveau,  with  her  extreme 
opinions,  this  revolution  was  a  personal  calamity.  She 
had  identified  the  glory  and  greatness  of  France  with 
the  elder  branch  of  the  Bourbons.  The  times  for  her 
were  evil  and  out  of  joint;  she  abhorred  the  Paris 
which  had  overthrown  what  she  considered  a  legiti- 
mate, to  set  up  a  pseudo  royalty,  and  she  longed,  with 
all  the  concentration  and  single-mindedness  of  her 
character,  for  an  opportunity  of  leaving  the  city.  This 
soon  presented  itself.  Among  other  noble  and  dis- 
tinguished persons  who  were  proud  of  their  acquaint- 
ance with  this  gifted  woman,  were  members  of  the 
Duras  family.  The  married  daughter,  who  bore  the 
beloved  but  fatal  name  of  La  Eoche  Jacquelein,  sym- 
pathized entirely  with  the  opinions  and  feelings  of  her 
namesake,  Felicie.  She  invited  the  artist  to  leave 
Paris,  and  accompany  her  on  a  visit  to  her  estates  in 
La  Vendee.  During  this  visit,  which  was  at  first  con- 
sidered a  mere  relaxation  from  severe  labor  and  study, 
riding,  shooting,  and  hunting  took  the  place  of  design- 
ing, modeling,  and  casting.  But,  after  a  while,  a  more 


252  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

serious  purpose  was  contemplated,  and  a  loftier  end 
proposed.  Mademoiselle  de  Fauveau  found  herself 
in  the  thick  of  a  political  conspiracy.  A  regular 
chouannerie  was  organized,  and  our  poetical  artist  dis- 
tinguished herself  by  her  spirit,  energy,  and  determin- 
ation. To  this  day  the  peasantry  in  that  part  of 
France  always  speak  of  her  as  "  la  demoiselle" 

The  authorities  at  last  took  umbrage,  and  a  domicil- 
iary visit  was  made  to  the  chateau.  The  two  ladies, 
warned  in  time,  escaped,  and  took  refuge  in  a  neigh- 
boring farm-house.  But  arms  and  ammunitions  were 
found  in  the  chateau,  with  compromising  letters  and 
treasonable  symbols.  Orders  were  given  to  pursue 
and  arrest  the  fugitives.  The  farm-house  was  searched 
in  vain  ;  the  peasants  were  questioned,  but  their  fidel- 
ity was  unimpeachable.  Unfortunately,  however,  some 
faint  sounds  were  heard  behind  an  oven ;  the  grated 
door  was  removed,  and  the  two  rebels,  who  had  so 
nearly  defeated  the  search  of  their  pursuers,  were  dis- 
covered, arrested,  and  sent  under  a  strong  guard  to 
Angers. 

At  the  first  stage  they  stopped  at  an  inn.  The 
captives  were  conducted  to  a  room  up  stairs ;  the  door 
was  locked,  and  their  guards  descended  to  the  kitchen 
to  refresh  themselves.  Presently  a  maid-servant  was 
sent  up  to  receive  their  orders  for  supper.  In  an  in- 
stant, Madame  de  la  Eoche  Jacquelein  made  herself 
understood  by  this  woman.  As  soon  as  the  supper 
was  brought  up,  and  the  door  closed,  she  effected  an 
exchange  of  clothes,  and,  thus  disguised,  descended 
boldly,  plates  in  hand,  to  the  kitchen.  She  quickly 
deposited  her  burden  on  the  dresser,  and  then,  taking 
up  the  milk-pail,  announced  in  the  pretty  patois  of  the 
country  her  intention  to  fetch  the  milk  from  the  dairy. 


FELICIE  DE*  FAUVEAU.  253 

It  is  said  the  lady  looked  so  captivating  in  her  new 
costume  that  a  gallant  sergeant  made  advances  to  her, 
which  she  was  obliged  to  repress  vigorously,  so  as  to 
proceed  unattended.  She  reached  the  dairy,  went  out 
at  a  back  door,  crossed  some  fields,  and  was  soon  out 
of  reach.  Mademoiselle  de  Fauveau  remained  quiet- 
ly in  her  room,  allowing  the  servant  to  sleep  with  her, 
so  as  to  lull  all  suspicion,  and  give  as  much  time  as 
possible  for  the  escape.  The  next  morning  the  eva- 
sion of  Madame  was  discovered,  and  caused  great  con- 
sternation. It  was  thought  necessary  to  take  the  most 
rigid  precautions,  such  as  obliging  Mademoiselle  de 
Fauveau  to  have  a  guard  in  her  sleeping-room,  who 
was  authorized  to  disturb  her  whenever  he  wished  to 
make  sure  of  her  presence,  to  prevent  her  following 
her  friend's  example.  She  was  thus  transferred  to 
Angers,  and  remained  seven  months  in  prison. 

Her  bold  spirit  and  elastic  temperament  were  not 
weakened  or  cast  down  by  this  destruction  of  her 
hopes.  She  took  advantage  of  the  forced  seclusion 
to  resume  her  occupations.  In  prison  she  modeled 
several  small  groups ;  one  of  them,  composed  of  twelve 
figures,  representing  the  duel  of  the  Sire  de  Jarnee 
and  the  Count  de  la  Chataignevaie  in  the  presence  of 
Henry  II.  and  his  court.  She  also  designed  a  monu- 
ment for  Louis  de  Bonnechose,  who  had  lately  perish- 
ed in  an  affray  with  some  soldiers  sent  to  arrest  him. 
The  background  of  this  composition  is  architectural, 
in  the  Gothic  style,  adorned  with  the  blazoned  shields, 
achievements,  and  banners  which  belong  peculiarly  to 
the  Vendean  party.  On  the  summit  of  the  edifice  is 
anangel,  whose  face  is  veiled,  supporting  the  armorial 
shield  of  the  deceased ;  in  the  foreground  the  Arch- 
angel Michael,  terrible  and  victorious,  has  just  killed 


254  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

the  dragon.  This  dragon  has  a  head  like  a  cock — a 
type  of  the  French  republic.  Michael  bears  in  his 
right  hand  the  avenging  sword,  and  in  his  left  holds 
a  pair  of  crystal  scales ;  in  one  of  these  are  figures  of 
judges,  advocates,  and  magistrates ;  in  the  other,  which 
weighs  down  these,  is  a  single  drop  of  blood,  with 
this  inscription : 

"  Quam  gravis  est  sanguis  justi  inultus." 

In  this  sketch,  as,  indeed,  in  all  Felicie's  works,  the 
sjrmbolical  beauty  inspires  the  whole ;  the  ideal  gives 
spirit  to  the  material  form,  while  the  form  receives  its 
noblest  distinction  as  the  fitting  vehicle  of  the  idea. 

After  seven  months'  imprisonment,  Mademoiselle  de 
Fauveau  was  set  at  liberty,  and  returned  to  Paris  and 
her  studio.  Very  soon  afterward,  the  appearance  of 
the  Duchesse  de  Bern  in  Vendee  set  on  fire  all  Roy- 
alist imaginations.  Madame  de  la  Roche  Jacquelein 
and  our  fair  artist  again  left  Paris,  and  worked  day 
and  night  for  the  cause  so  dear  to  their  hearts,  to  reap 
again  disappointment,  failure,  and  misfortune.  This 
episode  in  Felicie's  life  may  show  how  strong  was  the 
political  bias  which  gave  tone  and  character  to  both 
her  private  and  artistic  life.  "  My  opinions  are  dearer 
to  me  than  my  art,"  she  said,  and  her  actions  proved 
this.  She  was  one  of  the  forlorn  hope  that  stood  up 
in  the  breach  to  save  a  falling  dynasty ;  and  with 
its  ruins  were  ingulfed  her  own  fortune,  her  pros- 
pects, and  such  part  of  her  success  as  depended  on  the 
public  recognition  and  acceptance  of  art  in  her  own 
country. 

After  the  failure  of  this  second  attempt  of  the  Le- 
gitimists, Mademoiselle  de  Fauveau  was  among  the 
persons  exiled.  She  first  took  refuge  in  Switzerland ; 


FELICIE  DE  FAUVEAU.  255 

then  returned  to  Paris,  in  the  very  teeth  of  the  author- 
ities, broke  up  her  studio  and  establishment  there,,  and 
went  to  Florence,  where  she  fixed  her  permanent  abode 
with  her  mother  and  brother. 

Considerable  expense  and  outlay  are  necessary  to 
carry  on  the  art  of  sculpture,  and  a  removal  from  a 
studio  in  which  were  accumulated  sketches,  models, 
and  marbles — most  of  them  not  portable — was  almost 
total  ruin.  The  forced  sale  of  furniture ;  the  transfer, 
at  a  heavy  discount,  of  funds  which  had  to  be  rein- 
vested, added  serious  items  to  the  amount  of  loss. 
From  the  fragments  thus  thrown  aside  fortunes  were 
made.  At  the  very  time  when  the  little  family  was 
enduring  bitter  privation  in  Florence,  a  man  realized 
an  almost  fabulous  sum  by  selling  walking-sticks  man- 
ufactured from  designs  made  by  Mademoiselle  de  Fau- 
veau  in  those  happy  Paris  evenings  before  mentioned. 

The  expense  attendant  on  establishing  a  new  studio 
in  Florence  had  to  be  met  by  the  labor  of  many  years. 
Madame  de  Fauveau,  at  this  period,  was  the  guardian 
angel  of  the  family,  and  thought  no  sacrifice  too  great 
for  the  encouragement  of  her  daughter's  genius,  and 
the  advancement  of  her  views.  Her  own  poetical  and 
imaginative  mind  aroused  and  fostered  the  ideas  of  the 
sculptress,  while  her  unflinching  resignation  and  hum- 
ble faith  soothed  and  solaced  her  heart. 

With  unparalleled  nobleness,  in  spite  of  extreme 
poverty,  the  family  refused  to  receive  a  sous  from  the 
princes  or  the  party  they  had  so  served.  No  fleck  of 
the  world's  dust  can  be  thrown  on  that  spotless  fidel- 
ity. It  was  at  this  period,  when  each  day's  labor 
scarcely  sufficed  to  provide  for  daily  necessities,  that 
Mademoiselle  de  Fauveau  wrote  to  one  of  her  friends, 
"  We  artists  are  like  the  Hebrews  of  old ;  manna  is 


256  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

sent  to  us,  but  on  condition  we  save  none  for  the  mor- 
row." 

Brighter  days  dawned.  Labor  is  not  only  its  own 
reward,  in  the  happiness  it  confers,  but  those  who  sow 
unweariedly  and  judiciously  shall  reap  fairly.  Our 
sculptress  achieved  a  modest  independence.  It  was 
probably  at  this  time  of  her  life  that  her  friend  the 
Baroness  de  Krafft  sketched  her  character,  dwelling 
on  the  contrasts  presented  by  her  history,  in  which  her 
mind  was  developed,  and  the  bent  of  her  nature  de- 
termined. "  Fire,  air,  and  water,"  she  says,  "  are  in 
that  organization ;"  and  it  is  true  that  ardor,  purity, 
and  impulse  are  the  characteristics  of  her  genius.  On 
the  one  hand  we  see  the  lady  of  the  Faubourg  St.  Ger- 
maine,  with  all  the  habits,  associations,  and  prejudices 
which  belong  to  her  order ;  on  the  other,  the  artist, 
earning  her  daily  bread,  and  obliged  to  face  in  their 
reality  the  sternest  necessities  and  most  imperative  ob- 
ligations ;  the  single  woman  treading  victoriously  the 
narrow  and  thorny  path  which  all  women  tread  who 
seek  to  achieve  independence  by  their  own  exertions ; 
and  the  genius  which,  to  attain  breadth  and  vigor, 
must  freely  sweep  out  of  its  path  limitations  and  ob- 
stacles. These  contrasts  appear  in  her  person  and 
manner.  Her  glance,  usually  soft,  can  kindle  and 
grow  stern.  Madame  de  Krafft  notices  that  the  move- 
ments of  her  arms  are  somewhat  abrupt  and  angular, 
but  her  hands  "  are  white,  soft,  and  fine,  royal  as  the 
hands  of  Cassar,  or  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci." 

Mademoiselle  de  Fauveau  is  described  by  a  visitor 
as  being  fair,  with  low  and  broad  forehead ;  soft,  brown, 
penetrating  eyes,  aquiline  nose,  and  mouth  finely  chis- 
eled, well  closed,  and  slightly  sarcastic.  Of  the  me- 
dium height,  her  figure  is  flexible  and  well  formed. 


FELICIE   DE  FAUVEAU.  257 

Her  ordinary  studio  dress  is  velvet,  of  that  "feuille 
morte"  color  Madame  Cottin  has  made  famous ;  with 
a  jacket  of  the  same  fastened  by  a  small  leathern  belt, 
&  foulard  round  the  neck,  and  a  velvet  cap.  Her  hair 
is  blonde,  cut  square  on  the  forehead  and  short  on  the 
neck,  and  left  rather  longer  at  the  sides,  in  the  Van- 
dyke manner.  The  face,  and  figure,  and  presence,  give 
the  impress  of  a  firm  but  not  aggressive  nature,  reveal- 
ing the  energy  of  resistance,  not  of  defiance.  Opinions 
strongly  held  and  enunciated,  defended  to  the  death, 
if  necessary,  give  such  an  aspect.  Combined  with  this 
peculiarity  is  a  look  of  thoughtful  melancholy,  such 
as  Eetzch  has  represented  in  his  sketches  of  Faust.  In 
fact,  the  head,  in  a  statuette  of  herself,  might  serve  as 
an  ideal  of  the  world-famous  student.  There  are  two 
admirable  likenesses  of  her :  one  by  Ary  Scheffer  and 
one  by  Giraud. 

Her  dwelling  is  in  the  Via  delle  Fornace,  where  are 
also  the  studios  of  Powers  and  Fedi.  A  dark  green 
door  opens  into  a  paved  covered  court,  formerly  the 
entrance  to  a  convent,  which  is  now  adapted  to  form 
a  modern  habitation.  On  one  side  a  flight  of  stairs 
leads  to  the  upper  rooms,  another  door  leads  to  the 
studio ;  a  third  opens  on  a  cool,  quiet  garden,  shaded 
by  trees.  There  are  dovecotes,  pigeon-houses,  and 
bird-cages ;  and  the  walks  are  hedged  with  laurels  and 
cypresses,  while  there  are  gay  flowers  mingled  with 
Etruscan  vases  and  jars.  The  artist's  drawing-room 
looks  like  the  parlor  of  an  abbess,  furnished  with  an- 
tique hangings,  carved  chairs,  silver  crucifixes,  and 
gold-grounded,  pre-Kaphaelite  pictures,  some  of  great 
beauty  and  value.  From  this  drawing-room,  half 
oratory  and  half  boudoir,  the  visitor  descends  to  the 
studio,  which  is  composed  of  two  or  three  large  white- 
washed rooms  on  the  ground  floor. 


258  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

The  first  thing  that  strikes  one  here  is  the  evidence 
of  the  artist's  indefatigable  industry.  Here  are  casts 
and  bassi-relievi  from  the  antique,  but  no  goddesses, 
nymphs,  or  cupids ;  it  is  Christian  art  of  the  mediaeval 
period.  Saints  and  angels  cover  the  walls;  in  the 
centre  is  a  large  crucifix  of  carved  wood,  beautifully 
executed,  and  full  of  vigor  and  expression ;  near  it  is 
a  Santa  Eeparata,  designed  in  terra-cotta.  Mademoi- 
selle de  Fauveau  has  been  peculiarly  successful  in  her 
adaptation  of  terra-cotta  to  artistic  purposes.  A  large 
alto-relievo  represents  two  freed  spirits  flying  heaven- 
ward, dropping  their  earthly  chains.  A  lovely  St. 
Dorothea  looks  upward,  and  holds  up  her  hands  for  a 
basket  of  flowers  and  fruit  which  a  descending  angel 
is  bringing  from  Paradise.  Bold  and  rapid  move- 
ment is  expressed  in  the  flying  figure.  In  the  back- 
ground is  an  architectural  design  of  a  church,  and  an 
inscription  describing  how  it  sprang,  as  it  were,  from 
the  martyr's  blood.  There  is  a  Judith  addressing  the 
Israelites  from  an  open  gallery,  with  the  head  of  Holo- 
fernes  on  a  spear  beside  her.  In  the  aspect  of  the  res- 
olute woman  of  Bethulia  there  is  an  undefinable  re- 
semblance to  the  artist.  The  expression,  indeed,  is 
congenial  to  her  character,  in  which  there  is  the  con- 
centration of  purpose  which  gives  force,  and  the  ardor 
that  gives  decision  to  the  will. 

There  are  also  works  of  a  lighter  character ;  the 
carved  frame- work  of  a  mirror,  with  an  exquisite  alle- 
gorical design — a  fop  and  a  coquette,  in  elaborate  cos- 
tume, are  bending  inward  toward  the  glass,  so  intent 
on  self-admiration  as  to  be  unconscious  that  a  demon 
below  has  caught  their  feet  in  a  line  or  snare  from 
which  they  will  not  be  able  to  extricate  themselves 
without  falling.  Most  of  Mademoiselle  de  Fauveau's 


FELICIE  DE  FAUVEAU.  259 

works  have  superabundant  richness  of  ornament  and 
allegorical  device.  Her  designs  for  gold  and  silver 
ornaments  are  unrivaled  for  elegance  and  imaginative 
picturesqueness. 

She  made  for  Count  Zichy  a  Hungarian  costume, 
the  collar,  belt,  sword,  and  spurs  being  of  the  most 
finished  workmanship.  A  silver  bell,  ornamented  with 
twenty  figures,  for  the  Empress  of  Kussia,  represents 
a  mediaeval  household,  in  the  costumes  of  the  period, 
and  their  peculiar  avocations,  assembling  at  the  call 
of  three  stewards,  whose  figures  form  the  handle. 
Eound  the  ball  is  blazoned,  in  Gothic  characters,  "  De 
bon  vouloir  servir  le  maitre" 

It  would  be  tedious  to  enumerate  the  works  of  this 
indefatigable  artist.  The  finished  specimens  of  twen- 
ty-five years  of  labor  are  shut  up  in  private  galleries, 
the  models  remaining  in  her  studio.  Her  last  and 
most  imposing  work  is  the  monument  in  Santa  Croce, 
erected  to  the  memory  of  Louise  Favreau  by  her  pa- 
rents. Madame  de  Krafft  published  a  description  of 
this  in  the  Revue  Britannique  for  March,  1857.  Three 
monuments,  in  different  styles,  may  be  seen  in  the 
Lindsay  chapel.  In  her  studio  are  several  busts  of 
great  beauty,  strongly  relieved  by  her  method  of 
placing  an  architectural  back-ground.  One  is  the  bust 
of  the  Marquis  de  Bretignieres,  the  founder  of  the 
reformatory  school  colony  of  Mettray. 

Besides  devoting  herself  to  the  actual  expression  of 
her  ideas,  Madame  de  Fauveau  has,  all  her  life,  studied 
to  improve  the  mere  mechanical  portion  of  her  art. 
She  endeavored  to  revive  certain  secrets  known  to  the 
ancients,  which  have  been  abandoned  and  forgotten, 
to  the  detriment  of  modern  sculpture.  To  cast  a  statue 
entire,  instead  of  in  portions,  and  with  so  much  pre- 


260  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

cision  as  to  require  no  farther  touch  of  the  chisel — to 
preserve  inviolate,  as  it  were,  the  idea,  while  it  is  sub- 
ject to  the  difficult  process  of  clothing  it  with  form, 
has  been  her  life-long  endeavor.  In  bronze,  by  means 
of  wax,  she  succeeded,  after  repeated  failures,  with 
incredible  perseverance.  A  figure  of  St.  Michael  in 
one  of  her  works  was  thus  cast  seven  times.  The 
least  obstacle,  were  it  only  the  breadth  of  a  pin's  point 
in  one  of  the  air- vents  which  are  necessary  to.  draw  the 
seething  metal  into  every  part  of  the  mould,  is  enough 
to  destroy  the  work.  At  last  her  head  workman 
brought  her  St.  Michael  complete ;  all  the  energy  and 
delicacy  of  the  original  design  being  preserved,  and 
none  of  the  pristine  freshness  lost  in  the  translation 
from  wax  to  bronze. 

Mademoiselle  de  Fauveau  works  almost  incessantly, 
scarcely  allowing  herself  any  relaxation.  Her  prin- 
cipal associates  are  a  few  of  the  higher  church  digni- 
taries, and  two  or  three  distinguished  Italian  or  for- 
eign families.  Eetirement  is  agreeable  to  her,  and  her 
political  opinions  have  drawn  around  her -a  line  of 
demarkation.  She  has  paid  two  visits  to  Kome :  one 
when  the  Due  de  Bordeaux  was  there.  He  paid  her 
much  attention,  as  did  the  two  great  princes  of  art,  Cor- 
nelius and  Tenerani,  at  that  time  in  Rome.  Thus  sit- 
uated, beloved  by  many,  admired  and  appreciated  by 
all,  this  clever  artist  and  noble  woman  leads  an  hon- 
ored life,  which  seems  a  realized  dream  of  work,  prog- 
ress, and  success. 

From  every  point  of  view,  a  life  so  spent  is  a  curi- 
ous and  interesting  study.  There  is  the  independence 
belonging  to  an  existence  devoted  to  art,  with  almost 
cloistral  simplicity  and  formality.  She  had  been  hard- 
ly ever  separated  from  her  proud  and  devoted  mother 


ROSA  BONHEUR.  261 

till  her  death,  in  1858.  The  loss  left  her  inconsolable. 
Her  brother,  an  artist  of  merit,  resides  with  her,  assists 
in  most  of  her  works,  and  is  the  support  and  comfort 
of  her  life.  Her  happy  home  and  domestic  relations 
have  helped  to  expand  and  refine  her  genius.  A 
woman's  art,  as  well  as  her  heart,  suffers  when  the 
home  in  which  she  works  is  uncongenial.  Our  artist's 
name — Felicie — has  proved  a  good  omen  for  one  who 
is  at  once  u  a  good  woman  and  a  great  artist." 

ROSA  BONHEUR.* 

Eosalie  Bonheur — as  she  is  called  in  her  acte  de  nais- 
sance — was  born  in  Bordeaux  on  the  16th  of  March, 
1822.  Her  father,  Oscar  Eaymond  Bonheur,  was  a 
painter  of  merit,  who  had  in  youth  taken  the  highest 
honors  at  the  exhibitions  of  his  native  town.  He  de- 
voted part  of  his  time  to  giving  drawing-lessons  in 
families  for  the  support  of  his  aged  parents.  An  at- 
tachment sprung  up  between  him  and  one  of  his  pu- 
pils—  Sophie  Marques — a  lovely  and  accomplished 
girl.  Her  family  opposed  their  union  on  account  of 
the  artist's  poverty ;  and  after  the  marriage  the  young 
people  were  thrown  entirely  on  their  own  resources. 
Eosalie  was  the  eldest  of  their  four  children.  Her  fa-, 
ther  was  compelled  to  give  up  his  dreams  of  fame  and 
the  higher  labors  of  his  art,  and  for  eight  years  main- 
tained his  family  by  teaching  drawing. 

Eosalie — or  Eosa,  as  she  has  always  called  herself 
— was  a  wild,  active,  impetuous  child,  impatient  of  re- 
straint, and  having  a  detestation  of  study.  She  was  a 
long  time  in  acquiring  even  the  elements  of  reading 
and  writing.  When  not  in  the  fields,  she  was  in  the 

*  This  sketch  was  prepared  under  the  supervision  of  Mademoiselle 
Bonheur. 


262  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

garden.  She  remembers  a  gray  parrot,  a  pet  of  her 
grandfather's,  that  often  called  out  "  Kosa !  Kosa !"  in 
a  voice  like  her  mother's,  and  would  bring  her  in, 
when  her  mother  would  seize  the  opportunity  to  make 
her  repeat  her  catechism.  When  the  lesson  was  over, 
the  little  girl  would  scold  the  bird  angrily  for  the  trick 
it  had  played  her.  But  if  Eosa  hated  her  books,  she 
dearly  loved  all  objects  in  nature,  and  was  happiest 
when  rambling  in  wood  or  meadow,  gathering  posies 
as  large  as  herself.  Her  complexion  was  fair,  with 
rosy  cheeks ;  her  light  auburn  hair  curled  in  natural 
ringlets ;  and  she  was  so  plump  that  the  Spanish  poet 
Moratia,  who  then  lived  in  Bordeaux,  and  spent  his 
evenings  at  Bonheur's,  used  to  call  her  his  "round 
ball."  He  would  romp  with  the  merry  child  for  hours 
together,  and  laugh  over  the  rude  figures  she  was  fond 
of  cutting  out  of  paper.  Eosa  was  fond  of  amusing 
herself  in  her  father's  studio,  drawing  rough  outlines 
on  the  walls,  or  burying  her  little  fat  hands  in  the 
clay,  and  making  grotesque  attempts  at  modeling, 
though  these  childish  efforts  were  not  noticed  by  her 
family  as  showing  any  genius.  The  exiled  poet,  how- 
ever, saw  the  boldness,  vigor,  and  originality  of  her 
nature,  and  often  prophesied  that  his  favorite  would 
turn  out,  in  some  way,  "a  remarkable  woman." 

In  1829  Eaymond  Bonheur  quitted  Bordeaux,  and 
established  himself  with  his  family  in  Paris.  Inter- 
ested in  the  ideas  then  fermenting  in  the  public  mind, 
he  entered  into  the  excitement  that  preceded  the  Eev- 
olution  of  July.  Periods  of  national  effervescence  are 
not  favorable  to  art;  the  painter  could  not  sell  his 
pictures,  and  had  to  betake  himself  once  more  to  giv- 
ing drawing-lessons.  His  wife  gave  lessons  on  the 
piano ;  but  the  growing  agitation  of  the  social  and  po- 


KOSA  BONHEUK.  263 

litical  world  made  their  united  exertions  profitless. 
Madame  Bonheur  sustained  her  husband's  courage 
throughout  this  trying  period,  while  she  was  often 
compelled,  after  the  day's  labors,  to  sit  up  half  the 
night  to  earn  with  her  needle  a  precarious  support  for 
the  morrow.  When  public  tranquillity  returned,  Bon- 
heur resumed  his  teaching,  and  had  some  of  his  works 
noticed  in  the  Paris  Exhibition. 

Madame  Bonheur  died  in  1833.  The  father  then 
placed  the  three  elder  children  with  an  honest  woman 
— La  Mere  Catherine — who  lived  in  the  Champs  Ely- 
sees  ;  Juliette,  the  youngest,  being  sent  to  friends  in 
Bordeaux.  La  Mere  sent  her  little  charges  to  the 
Mutual  School  of  Chaillot.  Eosa,  now  in  her  eleventh 
year,  and  detesting  books  and  confinement  as  heartily 
as  ever,  generally  contrived  to  avoid  the  school-room, 
and  spent  most  of  her  time  in  the  grassy  and  wooded 
spots  afforded  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne,  and  other  en- 
virons of  Paris.  Two  years  passed  thus ;  the  children 
being  plainly  clad  and  living  on  the  humblest  fare. 
Eosa  meanwhile,  with  her  passion  for  independence 
and  outdoor  life,  incurred  almost  daily  the  angry  rep- 
rimands of  La  Mere  Catherine,  who  was  distressed  at 
her  neglect  of  school  for  her  rambles.  "  I  never  spent 
an  hour  of  fine  weather  indoors  during  the  whole  of 
the  time,"  she  often  said.  But  this  sort  of  gipsy  life 
could  not  last.  Eaymond  Bonheur  married  again, 
took  a  house  in  the  Faubourg  du  Eoule,  brought  the 
three  children  home,  and  endeavored  to  put  them  in 
a  way  to  make  a  position  for  themselves.  The  two 
boys — Auguste  and  Isidore — were  placed  in  a  respect- 
able school,  in  which  their  father  gave  three  lessons  a 
week  by  way  of  payment ;  and  Eosa,  who  could  not 
be  got  to  learn  any  thing  out  of  a  book,  and  seemed 


26-i  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

to  have  neither  taste  nor  talent  for  any  thing  but 
rambling  about  in  the  sunshine,  was  placed  with  a 
seamstress,  in  order  that  she  might  learn  to  make  a 
living  by  her  needle. 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  disagreeable  to  the 
poor  girl  than  the  monotonous  employment  to  which 
she  was  thus  condemned.  The  mere  act  of  sitting 
still  on  a  chair  was  torture  to  her  active  temperament ; 
she  ran  the  needle  into  her  fingers  at  every  stitch,  and 
bending  over  her  hated  task  made  her  head  ache,  and 
filled  her  with  inexpressible  weariness  and  disgust. 
The  husband  of  the  seamstress  was  a  turner,  and  had 
his  lathe  in  an  adjoining  room.  Eosa's  sole  consola- 
tion was  to  slip  into  this  room,  and  obtain  the  turner's 
permission  to  help  him  work  the  lathe.  If  he  were 
absent,  she  would  do  her  utmost  to  set  the  lathe  in 
motion  by  herself,  more  than  once  doing  some  damage 
to  the  turner's  tools.  But  these  stolen  pleasures  were 
insufficient  to  compensate  her  for  the  repulsiveness  of 
her  new  avocation ;  and  whenever  her  father,  with  his 
pockets  full  of  bonbons,  came  to  see  her  and  learn 
how  she  was  getting  on,  she  would  throw  herself  into 
his  arms  in  a  passion  of  tears,  and  beseech  him  to  take 
her  away.  Every  week  her  distress  became  more  and 
more  evident;  she  lost  her  appetite  and  color,  and 
was  apparently  falling  ill.  Her  father  was  much  dis- 
appointed at  the  ill  success  of  his  attempt  to  make  of 
his  wild  daughter  an  orderly  and  industrious  needle- 
woman ;  but  he  was  too  fond  of  her  to  persevere  in 
an  experiment  so  repugnant  to  her  feelings.  He 
therefore  broke  off  the  arrangement  with  the  seam- 
stress, and  took  her  home. 

After  thinking  over  many  plans  for  her,  he  at 
length  succeeded  in  making  an  arrangement  for  her 


ROSA  BONHEUR.  265 

reception  in  a  boarding-school  in  the  Eue  de  Eeuilly, 
Faubourg  St.  Antoine,  on  the  same  terms  as  those  he 
had  obtained  for  her  brothers.  A  vast  deal  of  good 
advice  was  expended  on  her,  with  many  earnest  ex- 
hortations to  make  the  best  use  of  the  advantages  of 
the  school,  by  diligent  application  to  her  studies. 

For  a  short  time  after  her  entrance  into  this  estab- 
lishment, Eosa  was  delighted  with  her  new  life,  for 
she  speedily  became  a  favorite  with  her  young  com- 
panions, the  leader  in  all  their  games,  and  the  invent- 
or of  innumerable  pranks.  But  the  teachers  were  far 
from  being  equally  satisfied  with  the  new  pupil,  who 
could  not  be  got  to  learn  a  lesson,  and  who  threw  the 
household  into  confusion  with  her  doings.  One  of 
her  favorite  amusements  was  to  draw  caricatures  of 
the  governesses  and  professors;  which  caricatures, 
after  coloring,  she  cut  out  very  carefully,  and  con- 
trived to  fasten  to  the  ceiling  of  the  school-room,  by 
means  of  bread  patiently  chewed  to  the  consistence  of 
putty,  and  applied  to  the  heads  of  the  figures.  The 
sensation  created  by  this  novel  exhibition  of  portrait- 
ure, and  the  ludicrous  bowings  and  courtesyings  of 
the  paper  figures,  as  they  swayed  over  the  heads  of 
their  originals,  may  be  easily  imagined.  The  pupils 
would  go  beside  themselves  with  suppressed  laughter; 
the  teachers  were  naturally  more  displeased  than  di- 
verted. The  mistress  of  the  establishment,  struck 
with  the  vigor  and  originality  of  these  drawings, 
caused  them  to  be  detached  from  the  ceiling,  and 
placed  them  privately  in  an  album,  where,  it  is  said, 
they  have  been  treasured  to  this  day.  But  Eosa  was 
none  the  less  pronounced  a  very  naughty  girl ;  and 
she  generally  found  herself  condemned  to  bread  and 
water  about  five  days  in  the  week. 

M 


266  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Eosa  Bonheur  is  by  no  means  deficient  in  the  facul- 
ty of  acquiring  knowledge,  and  has  since  made  up,  in 
her  own  way,  for  her  early  disinclination  to  study ; 
but  it  was  absolutely  impossible  for  her,  at  that  time, 
to  constrain  her  mercurial  temperament  to  the  meas- 
ured regularity  of  a  class ;  and  the  only  branch  of  study 
in  which  she  made  any  progress  was  drawing,  which 
she  practiced  assiduously,  sharing  the  lessons  given 
twice  a  week  by  her  father  in  return  for  her  school- 
ing. 

Eosa,  however,  was  far  from  happy.  Besides  the 
constant  trouble  in  which  her  love  of  frolic  and  mis- 
chief involved  her,  there  was  another  annoyance  that 
poisoned  her  peace,  and  gradually  rendered  her  stay 
in  the  school  intolerably  painful. 

All  the  other  pupils  being  daughters  of  rich  trades- 
men, they  were  elegantly  dressed,  and  had  their  silver 
forks  and  cups  at  table,  and  plenty  of  pocket-money 
for  the  gratification  of  their  school-girl  fancies.  Eosa, 
with  her  calico  frocks  and  coarse  shoes,  her  iron  spoon, 
tin  mug,  and  empty  pockets,  felt  keenly  the  inferiori- 
ty of  her  position.  Her  father  was  as  good  and  as 
clever  as  the  fathers  of  her  companions ;  why,  then, 
was  he  not  rich?  Why  must  she  wear  calico  and 
drink  out  of  tin,  while  the  other  girls  had  silver  mugs 
and  beautiful  silk  dresses  ?  Too  generous  to  be  en- 
vious, and  treated  as  a  favorite  by  the  other  pupils, 
the  proud  and  sensitive  child  yet  recoiled  instinctively 
from  a  contact  which  awakened  in  her  mind  an  un- 
reasoning sense  of  injustice,  and  humiliated  her,  as  she 
felt,  for  no  fault  of  her  own.  She  had  no  wish  to  de- 
prive her  little  companions  of  the  superior  advantages 
of  their  lot,  but  she  longed  to  possess  the  same,  tor- 
menting herself  day  and  night  with  pondering  on  her 


ROSA  BONHEUE.  267 

difficulties,  and  seeking  to  devise  some  plan  by  which 
they  might  be  overcome.  To  this  period,  with  its  se- 
cret mental  experiences,  is  to  be  traced  that  firm  re- 
solve to  achieve  a  name  and  a  place  for  herself  in  the 
world — to  a  perception  of  whose  social  facts  she  was 
now  beginning  to  awaken — which  sustained  her 
through  the  subsequent  phases  of  her  artistic  develop- 
ment. Yet  this  resolve,  though  prompted  by  a  gall- 
ing sense  of  the  humble  character  of  her  wardrobe  and 
"  belongings,"  pointed  less  to  the  acquisition  of  greater 
elegance  of  dress  and  personal  conditions — to  which 
she  has  subsequently  shown  herself  almost  indifferent 
—than  to  the  attainment  of  a  superior  and  independ- 
ent social  position.  She  was  determined  to  be  some- 
thing, though  she  could  not  see  what,  and  felt  no  doubt 
of  the  accomplishment  of  her  purpose,  though  as  yet 
she  had  no  idea  of  the  mode  in  which  it  was  to  be  car- 
ried out.  Meanwhile,  her  secret  discontent  preyed  on 
her  spirits  and  affected  her  health.  She  became  re- 
served and  gloomy,  and  while  seeking,  with  feverish 
anxiety,  to  devise  the  sort  of  work  that  should  enable 
her  to  gain  for  herself  the  superior  position  she  so  ar- 
dently coveted,  she  became  more  and  more  neglectful 
of  her  studies,  until,  her  teachers  and  her  father  being 
alike  discouraged  by  her  seeming  idleness,  the  latter 
withdrew  her  from  the  school,  and  once  more  took 
her  home. 

More  than  ever  perplexed  what  to  do  with  her,  her 
father  now  left  her  for  a  time  entirely  to  herself.  Thus 
abandoned  to  her  own  spontaneous  actions,  Eosa,  who 
felt  that  the  idle  and  aimless  life  she  had  hitherto  led 
was  little  calculated  to  help  her  to  the  realization  of 
her  secret  ambition,  and  who  was  full  of  unacknowl- 
edged regret  and  remorse  for  her  incapacity  and  use- 


268  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

lessness,  sought  refuge  from  her  own  uncomfortable 
thoughts  in  her  father's  studio,  where  she  amused  her- 
self with  imitating  every  thing  she  saw  him  do ;  draw- 
ing and  modeling,  day  after  day,  with  the  utmost  dil- 
igence and  delight,  happy  as  long  as  she  had  in  her 
hands  a  pencil,  a  piece  of  charcoal,  or  a  lump  of  clay. 
In  the  quiet  and  congenial  activity  of  the  studio,  her 
excited  feelings  became  calm,  and  her  ideas  grew 
clearer ;  she  began  to  understand  herself,  and  to  de- 
vise the  path  nature  had  marked  out  for  her.  As  this 
change  took  place  in  her  mind,  the  desultory  and  pur- 
poseless child  became  rapidly  transformed  into  the 
earnest,  self-conscious,  determined  woman.  She  drew 
and  modeled  from  morning  till  night  with  enthusiastic 
ardor;  and  her  father,  amazed  at  her  progress,  and 
perceiving  at  last  the  real  bent  of  her  nature,  devoted 
himself  seriously  to  her  instruction,  superintending 
her  efforts  with  the  greatest  interest  and  care.  He 
took  her  through  a  serious  course  of  preparatory 
study,  and  then  sent  her  to  the  Louvre  to  copy  the 
works  of  the  old  masters,  as  a  discipline  for  her  eye, 
her  hand,  and  her  judgment. 

Surrounded  and  stimulated  by  the  glorious  creations 
of  the  great  painters — the  first  to  enter  the  gallery  and 
the  last  to  leave  it — too  much  absorbed  in  her  model 
to  be  conscious  of  any  thing  that  went  on  around  her, 
Eosa  pursued  her  labors  with  unwavering  zeal. 

"  I  have  never  seen  an  example  of  such  application, 
and  such  ardor  for  work,"  remarked  M.  Jousselin,  di- 
rector of  the  Louvre,  in  describing  the  deportment  of 
the  young  student. 

The  splendid  coloring  and  form  of  the  Italian  schools, 
the  lofty  idealism  of  the  German,  and  the  broad  nat- 
uralism of  the  Dutch,  alike  excited  her  enthusiasm ; 


EOSA  BONHEUR.  269 

she  studied  them  all  with,  equal  delight,  and  copied 
them  with  equal  felicity.  To  aid  her  father  in  his  ar- 
duous struggle  for  the  support  of  his  family,  now  in- 
creased by  the  birth  of  two  younger  children,  was  the 
immediate  object  of  Eosa's  ambition ;  and,  the  admi- 
rable fidelity  of  her  copies  insuring  them  a  speedy  sale, 
this  filial  desire  was  soon  gratified.  She  gained  but  a 
small  sum  for  each,  but  so  great  was  her  industry  that 
those  earnings  soon  became  an  important  item  in  the 
family  resources. 

One  day,  when  she  had  just  put  the  finishing  touch 
to  a  copy  of  Les  Bergers  dSArcadie,  at  the  Louvre,  an 
elderly  English  gentleman  stopped  beside  her  easel, 
and,  having  examined  her  work  with  much  attention, 
exclaimed,  "  Your  copy,  mon  enfant,  is  superb,  fault- 
less !  Persevere  as  you  have  begun,  and  I  prophesy 
that  you  will  be  a  great  artist !"  The  stranger's  pre- 
diction gave  the  young  painter  much  pleasure,  and 
she  went  home  that  evening  with  her  head  full  of  joy- 
ous visions  of  future  success. 

Eosa  was  now  in  her  seventeenth  year,  vowed  to 
art  as  the  aim  and  occupation  of  her  life,  cultivating 
landscape,  historical,  and  genre  painting  with  equal 
assiduity,  but  without  any  decided  preference  for  eith- 
er ;  when,  happening  to  make  a  study  of  a  goat,  she 
was  so  much  enchanted  with  this  new  attempt  that 
she  thenceforth  devoted  herself  to  the  cultivation  of 
the  peculiar  province  in  which  she  has  commanded 
such  brilliant  success.  Too  poor  to  procure  models, 
she  went  out  daily  into  the  country  on  foot,  in  search 
of  picturesque  views  and  animals  for  sketching.  "With 
a  bit  of  bread  in  her  pocket,  and  laden  with  canvas 
and  colors,  or  a  mass  of  clay — for  she  was  attracted 
equally  toward  painting  and  sculpture,  and  has  shown 


270  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

that  she  would  have  succeeded  equally  in  either — she 
used  to  set  out  very  early  in  the  morning,  and,  having 
found  a  site  or  a  subject  to  her  mind,  seat  herself  on 
a  bank  or  under  a  tree,  and  work  on  till  dusk ;  com- 
ing home  at  nightfall,  after  a  tramp  of  ten  or  a  dozen 
miles,  browned  by  sun  and  wind,  soaked  with  rain,  or 
covered  with  mud ;  exhausted  with  fatigue,  but  re- 
joicing in  the  lessons  the  day  had  furnished. 

Her  inability  to  procure  models  at  home  also  sug- 
gested to  her  another  expedient,  the  adoption  of  which 
shows  how  earnest  was  her  determination  to  overcome 
the  obstacles  poverty  had  placed  in  the  way  of  her 
studies.  The  slaughtering  and  preparing  of  animals 
for  the  Paris  market  is  confined  to  a  few  abattoirs, 
great  establishments  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  placed 
under  the  supervision  of  the  municipal  authorities. 
Each  of  these  establishments  contains  extensive  in- 
closures,  in  which  are  penned  thousands  of  lowing  and 
bleating  victims,  waiting  their  turn  to  be  led  to  the 
shambles.  To  one  of  these — the  abattoir  du  Roule — 
had  Eosa  the  courage  to  go  daily  for  many  months, 
surmounting  alike  the  repugnance  which  such  a  local- 
ity naturally  inspired,  and  her  equally  natural  hesita- 
tion to  place  herself  in  contact  with  the  crowd  of 
butchers  and  drovers  who  filled  it.  Seated  on  a  bun- 
dle of  hay,  with  her  colors  beside  her,  she  painted  on 
from  morning  till  dusk,  not  unfrequently  forgetting 
the  bit  of  bread  in  her  pocket,  so  absorbed  would  she 
become  in  the  study  of  the  varied  types  that  rendered 
the  courts  and  stables  of  this  establishment  so  invalu- 
able a  field  of  observation  for  her.  Not  content  with 
drawing  the  occupants  of  the  abattoir  in  their  pens,  far 
from  the  sickening  horror  of  the  shambles,  she  felt  the 
necessity  of  studying  their  attitudes  under  the  terror 


ROSA  BONHEUK.  271 

and  agony  of  the  death-stroke,  and  compelled  herself 
to  make  repeated  visits  to  the  slaughter-house ;  look- 
ing on  scenes  whose  repulsiveness  was  rendered  doubly 
painful  to  her  by  her  affectionate  sympathy  with  the 
brute  creation.  In  the  evening,  on  her  return  home, 
her  hands,  face,  and  clothes  were  usually  spotted  all 
over  by  the  flies,  so  numerous  wherever  animals  are 
congregated.  Such  was  the  respect  with  which  she 
inspired  the  rude  companions  by  whom  she  was  sur- 
rounded, and  who  would  often  beg  to  see  her  sketches, 
which  they  regarded  with  the  most  naive  admiration, 
that  nothing  ever  occurred  to  annoy  her  in  the  slight- 
est degree  during  her  long  sojourns  in  the  crowded 
precincts  of  the  abattoir. 

After  she  had  ceased  to  visit  this  establishment,  she 
frequented  in  a  similar  manner  the  stables  of  the  Vet- 
erinary School  of  Alfort,  and  the  animals  and  museums 
of  the  Garden  of  Plants.  She  also  resumed  her  sketch- 
ing rambles  in  the  country,  and  resorted  diligently  to 
all  the  horse  and  cattle  fairs  held  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Paris.  On  the  latter  occasions  she  invariably  wore 
male  attire ;  a  precaution  she  found  it  necessary  to 
adopt,  as  a  convenience,  and  still  more,  as  a  protection 
against  the  annoyances  that  would  have  rendered  it 
impossible  for  her  to  mingle  in  such  gatherings  in 
feminine  costume.  In  her  masculine  habit  Rosa  had 
so  completely  the  look  of  a  good-hearted,  ingenuous 
boy,  that  the  graziers  and  horse-dealers,  whose  animals 
she  drew,  would  frequently  insist  on  "standing  treat" 
in  a  clwpine  of  wine,  or  a  petit  verre  of  something 
stronger,  to  the  "clever  little  fellow"  whose  skillful 
portrayal  of  their  beasts  had  so  much  delighted  them ; 
and  it  sometimes  required  all  her  address  and  ingenu- 
ity to  escape  from  their  well-meant  persecutions.  Her 


272  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

good  looks,  too,  in  the  assumed  character  of  a  youth 
of  the  sterner  sex,  would  sometimes  make  sad  havoc 
in  the  susceptible  hearts  of  village  dairy-maids.  Some 
laughable  incidents  might  be  related  under  this  head. 
In  her  subsequent  explorations  of  the  romantic  regions 
at  either  foot  of  the  Pyrenees,  the  passion  with  which 
she  has  unwittingly  inspired  the  black-eyed  Phoebes 
of  the  south  has  more  than  once  proved  a  source  of 
serious  though  comical  embarrassment  to  the  artist, 
desirous  above  all  things  to  maintain  impenetrably 
the  secret  of  her  disguise. 

The  young  artist's  studies  were  not  confined  to  the 
exterior  forms  of  her  models.  She  procured  the  best 
anatomical  treatises  and  plates,  with  casts  and  models 
of  the  different  parts  of  the  human  frame,  and  studied 
them  thoroughly ;  she  then  procured  legs,  shoulders, 
and  heads  of  animals  from  the  butchers,  carefully  dis- 
secting them,  and  thus  obtaining  an  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  the  forms  and  dependencies  of  the  muscles 
whose  play  she  had  to  delineate. 

A  «/ 

Now  that  Eosa  has  arrived  at  the  fame  her  swelling 
child-heart  prophesied  to  itself  before  she  had  ascer- 
tained the  path  that  should  lead  to  the  fulfillment  of 
her  aspirations,  the  richest  and  noblest  of  her  country- 
men are  proud  to  place  at  her  disposal  the  finest  prod- 
ucts of  their  farms  and  studs ;  while  mules,  donkej^s, 
sheep,  goats,  pigs,  dogs,  and  rare  poultry  are  offered 
to  her  from  one  end  of  Europe  to  the  other.  But  it  is 
certain  that  the  poverty  and  obscurity  which,  during 
her  first  years  of  effort,  compelled  her  to  frequent  dbat- 
tofrs  and  cattle-markets  in  search  of  subjects  for  her 
pencil  were  really  of  unspeakable  service  in  forcing 
her  to  make  acquaintance  with  a  multitude  of  types 
under  a  variety  of  action  and  condition,  such  as  she 


EOS  A  BONHEUK.  273 

could  never  have  seen  in  any  other  way,  and  in  giv- 
ing her  a  breadth  of  conception,  variety  of  detail,  and 
truthfulness  to  nature,  which  a  more  limited  range  of 
experience  could  not  have  supplied. 

Through  all  her  varied  studies,  Raymond  Bonhe.ur 
was  his  daughter's  constant  and  only  teacher.  M. 
Leon  Cogniet,  whose  pupil  she  is  erroneously  said  to 
have  been,  merely  took  a  friendly  interest  in  her  prog- 
ress, and  warmly  encouraged  her  to  persevere.  She 
never  took  a  lesson  of  any  other  teacher  than  her  fa- 
ther and  nature. 

Bonheur,  with  his  family,  now  occupied  small  six- 
story  rooms  in  the  Rue  Rumfort.  His  two  sons  had 
also  devoted  themselves  to  art  under  his  auspices, 
Auguste  being  a  painter,  and  Isidore  a  sculptor.  The 
loving  family,  merry  and  hopeful  in  spite  of  poverty, 
labored  diligently  together  in  the  same  little  studio. 
From  daylight  till  dusk  Rosa  was  always  at  her  easel, 
singing  like  a  linnet,  the  busiest  and  merriest  of  them 
all.  In  the  evening,  the  frugal  dinner  dispatched  and 
the  lamp  lighted,  she  would  spend  several  hours  in 
drawing  illustrations  for  books,  and  animals  for  prints 
and  for  albums ;  or  in  moulding  little  groups  of  oxen, 
sheep,  etc.,  for  the  figure-dealers — thus  earning  an  ad- 
ditional contribution  to  the  family  purse. 

Rosa  delighted  in  birds,  of  which  she  had  many  in 
the  studio ;  but  it  grieved  her  to  see  them  confined. 
To  her  great  joy,  one  of  her  brothers  contrived  a  net, 
which  he  fastened  to  the  outer  side  of  the  window,  so 
that  they  could  be  safely  let  out  of  their  cages.  She 
had  also  a  beautiful  sheep,  with  long  silky  wool,  the 
most  docile  and  intelligent  of  quadrupeds,  which  she 
kept  on  the  leads  outside  their  windows,  the  leads 
forming  a  terrace,  converted  by  her  into  a  garden,  gay 
M2  " 


274  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

with  honeysuckles,  cobeas,  convolvulus,  nasturtiums, 
and  sweet-peas.  As  the  sheep  could  not  descend  six 
flights  of  stairs,  yet  needed  occasional  exercise  and 
change  of  diet,  Isidore  used  to  place  it  gravely  on  his 
shoulders,  and  carry  it  down  to  a  neighboring  croft, 
where  it  browsed  on  the  fresh  grass  to  its  heart's  con- 
tent, after  which  he  would  carry  it  back  to  its  aerial 
residence.  Thus  carefully  tended,  the  animal  passed 
two  years  contentedly  on  the  terrace,  affording  to  Rosa 
and  her  brothers  an  admirable  model. 

It  was  in  the  Fine  Arts  Exhibition  of  1841  that 
Rosa  Bonheur  made  her  first  appearance  before  the 
critical  Areopagus  of  Paris,  attracting  the 'favorable 
notice  both  of  connoisseurs  and  public,  by  two  charm- 
ing little  groups  of  a  goat,  sheep,  and  rabbits.  The 
following  year  she  exhibited  three  paintings :  "  Ani- 
mals in  a  Pasture,"  "A  Cow  lying  in  a  Meadow,"  and 
"A  Horse  for  Sale,"  which  attracted  still  more  no- 
tice, the  first  being  specially  remarkable  for  its  exqui- 
site rendering  of  the  atmospheric  effects  of  evening, 
and  its  blending  of  poetic  sentiment  with  bold  fidelity 
to  fact. 

From  this  period  she  appeared  in  all  the  Paris  ex- 
hibitions, and  in  many  of  those  of  the  provincial  towns, 
her  reputation  rising  every  year,  and  several  bronze 
and  silver  medals  being  awarded  to  her  productions. 
In  1844  she  exhibited,  with  her  paintings,  "A  Bull" 
in  clay,  one  of  the  many  proofs  she  has  given  of  pow- 
ers that  would  have  raised  her  to  a  high  rank  as  a 
sculptor,  had  she  not,  at  length,  been  definitively 
drawn,  by  the  combined  attractions  of  form  and  color, 
into  the  ranks  of  the  painters.  In  the  following  year 
she  exhibited  twelve  paintings — a  splendid  collection 
— flanked  bv  the  works  of  her  father  and  her  brother 


ROSA   BONHEUR.  275 

Auguste,  then  admitted  for  the  first  time.  In  1846 
her  productions  were  accompanied  by  those  of  her  fa- 
ther and  both  her  brothers,  the  younger  of  whom  then 
first  appeared  as  a  sculptor.  The  family  group  was 
completed  in  a  subsequent  exhibition  by  the  admis- 
sion of  her  younger  sister,  Julietta,  who  had  returned 
to  Paris,  and  had  also  become  an  artist.  In  1849  her 
magnificent "  Cantal  Oxen"  took  the  gold  medal.  Hor- 
ace Vernet,  president  of  the  committee  of  awards,  pro- 
claimed the  new  laureat  in  presence  of  a  brilliant 
crowd  of  amateurs,  presenting  her  with  a  superb  Se- 
vres vase  in  the  name  of  the  government ;  the  value 
of  a  triumph  which  placed  her  ostensibly  in  the  high- 
est rank  of  her  profession  being  immeasurably  en- 
hanced in  her  eyes  by  the  unbounded  delight  it  afford- 
ed to  her  father. 

Eaymond  Bonheur,  released  from  pecuniary  diffi- 
culty, and  rejuvenated  by  the  joy  of  his  daughter's 
success,  had  accepted  the  directorship  of  the  govern- 
ment school  of  design  for  girls,  and  resumed  his  pa- 
lette with  all  the  ardor  of  his  younger  days.  But  his 
health  had  been  undermined  by  the  fatigues  and  anx- 
ieties he  had  borne  so  long,  and  he  died  of  heart  dis- 
ease in  1849,  deeply  regretted  by  his  family.  Eosa, 
who  had  aided  him  in  the  school  of  design,  was  now 
made  its  directress.  She  still  holds  the  post,  her  sis- 
ter, Madame  Peyrol,  being  the  resident  professor,  and 
Eosa  superintending  the  classes  in  a  weekly  lesson. 

Her  already  brilliant  reputation  was  still  farther 
enhanced  by  the  appearance,  in  1849,  of  her  noble 
"  Plowing  Scene  in  the  Nivernais,"  ordered  by  the 
government,  and  now  in  the  Luxembourg  Gallery; 
of  the  "  Horse-market,"  in  1853,  the  preparatory  stud- 
ies for  which  occupied  her  during  eighteen  months; 


276  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

and  the  "  Hay-making,"  in  1855.    The  last  two  works 
created  great  enthusiasm  in  the  public  mind. 

More  fortunate  than  many  other  great  artists,  whose 
merits  have  been  slowly  acknowledged,  Eosa  Bonheur 
has  been  a  favorite  with  the  public  from  her  first  ap- 
pearance. Her  vigorous  originality,  her  perfect  mas- 
tery of  the  technicalities  and  mechanical  details  of  her 
art,  and  the  charm  of  a  style  at  once  fresh  and  simple, 
and  profoundly  and  poetically  true,  ensured  for  her 
productions  a  sympathetic  appreciation  and  a  rapid 
sale.  She  had  produced,  up  to  June,  1858,  thirty-five 
paintings ;  and  many  more,  not  exhibited,  have  been 
purchased  by  private  amateurs.  In  these  the  peculiar 
aspect  of  crag,  mountain,  valley,  and  plain — of  trees 
and  herbage ;  the  effects  of  cloud,  mist,  and  sunshine, 
and  of  different  hours  of  the  day — are  as  profoundly 
and  skillfully  rendered  as  are  the  outer  forms  and  in- 
ner life  of  the  animals  around  which  the  artist,  like 
nature,  spreads  the  charm  and  glory  of  her  landscapes. 
She  has  already  made  a  fortune,  but  has  bestowed  it 
entirely  on  others,  with  the  exception  of  a  little  farm 
a  few  miles  from  Paris,  where  she  spends  a  great  deal 
of  her  time.  Such  is  her  habitual  generosity,  and  so 
scrupulous  is  her  delicacy  in  all  matters  connected 
with  her  art,  that  it  may  be  doubted  whether  she  will 
ever  amass  any  great  wealth  for  herself.  Her  port- 
folios contain  nearly  a  thousand  sketches,  eagerly 
coveted  by  amateurs ;  but  she  regards  these  as  a  part 
of  her  artistic  life,  and  refuses  to  part  with  them  on 
any  terms.  A  little  drawing  that  accidentally  found 
its  way  into  the  hands  of  a  dealer,  a  short  time  since, 
brought  eighty  pounds  in  London.  Rosa  had  present- 
ed it  to  a  charity,  as  she  now  and  then  does  with  her 
drawings.  Demands  for  paintings  reach  her  from  ev- 


EOSA  BONHEUE.  277 

ery  part  of  the  world ;  but  she  refuses  all  orders  not 
congenial  to  her  talent,  valuing  her  own  probity  and 
dignity  above  all  price. 

The  award  of  the  jury  in  1853 — in  virtue  of  which 
the  authoress  of  "  The  Horse-market"  was  enrolled 
among  the  recognized  masters  of  the  brush,  and  as 
such  exempted  from  the  necessity  of  submitting  her 
works  to  the  examining  committee  previous  to  their 
admission  to  future  exhibitions — entitled  her,  accord- 
ing to  French  usage,  to  the  cross  of  the  Legion  of 
Honor.  This  decoration  was  refused  to  the  artist  by 
the  emperor  because  she  was  a  woman  I 

The  refusal,  repeated  after  her  brilliant  success  of 
1855,  naturally  excited  the  indignation  of  her  ad- 
mirers, who  could  not  understand  why  an  honor  that 
would  be  accorded  to  a  certain  talent  in  a  man  should 
be  refused  to  the  same  in  a  woman.  But,  though 
Eosa  was  included  in  the  invitation  to  the  state  din- 
ner at  the  Tuileries,  always  given  to  the  artists  to 
whom  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts  has  awarded  its 
highest  honor,  the  refusal  of  the  decoration  was  main- 
tained, notwithstanding  numerous  efforts  made  to  ob- 
tain a  reversal  of  the  imperial  decree. 

A  visitor  describes  the  studio  of  this  world-renown- 
ed artist.  At  the  southern  end  of  the  Eue  d' Assas — 
a  retired  street,  half  made  up  of  extensive  gardens,  the 
tops  of  trees  alone  visible  above  the  high  stone  walls 
— just  where,  meeting  the  Eue  de  Yaugirard,  it  widens 
into  an  irregular  little  square,  surrounded  by  sleepy- 
looking,  old-fashioned  houses,  and  looked  down  upon 
by  the  shining  gray  roofs  and  belfry  of  an  ancient 
Carmelite  convent — is  a  green  garden-door,  surmount- 
ed by  the  number  "  32."  A  ring  will  be  answered 
by  the  barkings  of  one  or  two  dogs ;  and  when  the 


278  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

door  is  opened  by  the  sober-suited  serving-man,  the 
visitor  finds  himself  in  a  garden  full  of  embowering 
trees.  The  house,  a  long,  cozy,  irregular  building, 
standing  at  right  angles  with  the  street,  is  covered 
with  vines,  honeysuckles,  and  clematis.  A  part  of 
the  garden  is  laid  out  in  flower-beds ;  but  the  larger 
portion — fenced  off  with  a  green  paling,  graveled,  and 
containing  several  sheds — is  given  up  to  the  animals 
kept  by  the  artist  as  her  models.  There  may  be  seen 
a  horse,  a  donkey,  four  or  five  goats,  sheep  of  differ- 
ent breeds,  ducks,  cochinchinas,  and  other  denizens  of 
the  barn-yard,  all  living  together  in  perfect  amity  and 
good-will. 

On  fine  days  the  artist  may  be  found  seated  on  a 
rustic  chair  inside  the  paling,  busily  sketching  one  of 
these  animals,  a  wide-awake  or  sun-bonnet  on  her 
head.  If  the  visitor  comes  on  a  Friday  afternoon,  the 
time  set  apart  for  Eosa's  receptions,  he  is  ushered 
through  glass  doors  into  a  hall,  where  the  walls  are 
covered  with  paintings,  orange-trees  and  oleanders 
standing  in  green  tubs  in  the  corners,  and  the  floor 
(since  the  artist  crossed  the  Channel!)  covered  with 
English  oil-cloth.  From  this  hall  a  few  stairs,  covered 
with  thick  gray  drugget,  lead  to  the  atelier,  on  Fridays 
turned  into  the  reception-room. 

This  beautiful  studio,  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
finely  proportioned  in  Paris,  with  its  greenish-gray 
walls,  and  plain  green  curtains  to  lofty  windows  that 
never  let  in  daylight — the  room  being  lighted  entire- 
ly from  the  ceiling — has  all  its  wood-work  of  dark 
oak,  as  are  the  book-case,  tables,  chairs,  and  other  ar- 
ticles of  furniture — richly  carved,  but  otherwise  of 
severe  simplicity — distributed  about  the  room.  The 
walls  are  covered  with  paintings,  sketches,  casts,  old 


ROSA  BONHEUR.  279 

armor,  fishing-nets,  rude  baskets  and  pouches,  poles, 
gnarled  and  twisted  vine-branches,  picturesque  hats, 
cloaks,  and  sandals,  collected  by  the  artist  in  her  wan- 
derings among  the  peasants  of  various  regions ;  non- 
descript draperies,  bones  and  skins  of  animals,  antlers 
and  horns.  The  fine  old  book-case  contains  as  many 
casts,  skeletons,  and  curiosities  as  books,  and  is  sur- 
rounded with  as  many  busts,  groups  in  plaster,  shields, 
and  other  artistic  booty,  as  its  top  can  accommodate ; 
and  the  great  Gothic-looking  stove  at  the  upper  end 
of  the  room  is  covered  in  the  same  way  with  little 
casts  and  bronzes.  Paintings  of  all  sizes,  and  in  every 
stage  of  progress,  are  seen  on  easels  at  the  lower  end 
of  the  room,  the  artist  always  working  at  several  at  a 
time.  Stands  of  port-folios  and  stacks  of  canvas  line 
the  sides  of  the  studio ;  birds  are  chirping  in  cages  of 
various  dimensions,  and  a  magnificent  parrot  eyes  you 
suspiciously  from  the  top  of  a  lofty  perch.  Scattered 
over  a  floor  as  bright  as  waxing  can  make  it,  are  skins 
of  tigers,  oxen,  leopards,  and  foxes — the  only  species 
of  floor-covering  admitted  by  the  artist  into  her  work- 
room. "  They  give  me  ideas,"  she  says  of  these  fa- 
vorite appurtenances ;  "  whereas  the  most  costly  and 
luxurious  carpet  is  suggestive  of  nothing." 

But  the  suggestion  of  picturesque  associations  is  not 
the  only  service  rendered  by  these  spoils  of  the  animal 
kingdom.  One  sultry  Friday  afternoon,  one  of  her 
admirers,  going  earlier  than  her  usual  reception  hour, 
found  her  lying  fast  asleep  under  the  long  table  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  studio,  on  her  favorite  skin,  that  of 
a  magnificent  ox,  with  stuffed  head  and  spreading 
horns ;  her  head  resting  lovingly  on  that  of  the  ani- 
mal. She  had  come  in  very  tired  from  her  weekly 
review  of  the  classes  at  the  School  of  Design,  and  had 


280  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

thrown  herself  down  on  the  skin,  under  the  shade  of 
the  table,  to  rest  a  few  moments.  There  was  so  much 
natural  grace  and  simplicity  in  her  attitude,  such  in- 
nocence and  peacefulness  in  her  whole  aspect,  and  so 
much  of  the  startled  child  in  her  expression,  as,  roused 
by  the  opening  and  shutting  of  the  door,  she  awoke 
and  started  to  her  feet,  that  the  picture  seemed  as  beau- 
tiful as  any  created  by  the  pencil. 

Here  Eosa  Bonheur  receives  her  guests  with  the 
frankness,  kindness,  and  unaffected  simplicity  for  which 
she  is  so  eminently  distinguished.  In  person  she  is 
small,  a"nd  rather  under  the  middle  height,  with  a  fine- 
ly-formed head,  and  broad  rather  than  high  forehead ; 
small,  well-defined,  regular  features,  and  good  teeth ; 
hazel  eyes,  very  clear  and  bright ;  dark-brown  hair, 
slightly  wavy,  parted  on  one  side  and  cut  short  in  the 
neck ;  a  compact,  shapely  figure ;  hands  small  and  del- 
icate, and  extremely  pretty  little  feet.  She  dresses 
very  plainly,  the  only  colors  worn  by  her  being  black, 
brown,  and  gray ;  and  her  costume  consists  invariably 
of  a  close-fitting  jacket  and  skirt  of  simple  materials. 
On  the  rare  occasions  when  she  goes  into  company — 
for  she  accepts  very  few  of  the  invitations  with  which 
she  is  assailed — she  appears  in  the  same  simple  cos- 
tume, of  richer  materials,  with  the  addition  merely  of 
a  lace  collar.  She  wears  none  of  the  usual  articles  of 
feminine  adornment ;  they  are  not  in  accordance  with 
her  thoughts  and  occupations.  At  work  she  wears  a 
round  pinafore  or  blouse  of  gray  linen  that  envelops 
her  from  the  neck  to  the  feet.  She  impresses  one  at 
first  sight  with  the  idea  of  a  clear,  honest,  vigorous, 
independent  nature ;  abrupt,  yet  kindly ;  original,  self- 
centred,  and  decided,  without  the  least  pretension  or 
conceit ;  but  it  is  only  when  you  have  seen  her  con- 


KOSA  BONHEUR.  281 

versing  earnestly  and  heartily,  her  enthusiasm  roused 
by  some  topic  connected  with  her  art,  or  with  the 
great  humanitary  questions  of  the  day ;  when  you  have 
watched  her  kindling  eyes,  her  smile  at  once  so  sweet, 
so  beaming,  and  so  keen,  her  expressive  features  ir- 
radiated, as  it  were,  with  an  inner  light,  that  you  per- 
ceive how  very  beautiful  she  really  is.  To  know  how 
upright  and  how  truthful  she  is,  how  single-minded  in 
her  devotion  to  her  art,  how  simple  and  unassuming, 
fully  conscious  of  the  dignity  of  her  artistic  power,  but 
respecting  it  rather  as  a  talent  committed  to  her  keep- 
ing than  as  a  quality  personal  to  herself,  you  must 
have  been  admitted  to  something  more  than  the  ordi- 
nary courtesy  of  a  reception-day.  "While,  if  you  would 
know  how  noble  and  how  self-sacrificing  she  has  been, 
not  only  to  every  member  of  her  own  family,  but  to 
others  possessing  no  claim  on  her  kindness  but  such 
as  that  kindness  gave  them,  you  must  learn  it  from 
those  who  have  shared  her  bounty,  for  you  will  never 
know  a  word  of  it  from  herself. 

Her  dislike  to  being  written  about  will  prevent 
many  interesting  particulars  in  regard  to  her  from  be- 
coming known ;  but,  if  they  ever  come  to  light,  they 
will  show  her  life  replete  with  noble  teachings,  and 
that  the  great  painter  whose  fame  will  go  down  to 
coming  ages  was  as  admirable  a  woman  as  she  was 
gifted  as  an  artist ;  that  her  moral  worth  was  no  less 
transcendent  than  her  genius. 

Kosa  Bonheur  is  an  indefatigable  wt>rker.  She 
rises  at  six,  and  paints  until  dusk,  when  she  lays  aside 
her  blouse,  puts  on  a  bonnet  and  shawl  of  most  un- 
fashionable appearance,  and  takes  a  turn  through  the 
neighboring  streets  alone,  or  accompanied  only  by  a 
favorite  dog.  Absorbed  in  her  own  thoughts,  and 


282  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

unconscious  of  every  thing  around  her,  the  first  con- 
ception of  a  picture  is  often  struck  out  by  her  in  these 
rapid,  solitary  walks  in  the  twilight. 

Living  solely  for  her  art,  she  has  gladly  resigned 
the  cares  of  her  outward  existence  to  an  old  and  de- 
voted friend,  Madame  Micas,  a  widow  lady,  who,  with 
her  daughter,  resides  with  her.  Mademoiselle  Micas 
is  an  artist,  and  her  beautiful  groups  of  birds  are  well 
known  in  England.  She  has  been  for  many  years 
Eosa's  most  intimate  companion.  Every  summer  the 
two  artists  repair  to  some  mountain  district  to  sketch. 
Arrived  at  the  regions  inhabited  only  by  the  chamois, 
they  exchange  their  feminine  habiliments  for  mascu- 
line attire,  and  spend  a  couple  of  months  in  exploring 
the  wildest  recesses  of  the  hills,  courting  the  acquaint- 
ance of  their  shy  and  swifl-footed  tenants,  and  harvest- 
ing "effects"  of  storm,  rain,  and  vapor  as  assiduously 
as  those  of  sunshine.  Though  Eosa  is  alive  to  the 
beauties  of  wood  and  meadow,  mountain  scenery  is 
her  especial  delight.  Having  explored  the  French 
chains  and  the  Pyrenees,  in  the  autumn  of  1856  she 
visited  Scotland,  and  made  numerous  sketches  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Glenfallock,  Grlencoe,  and  Ballaculish. 
Struck  by  the  beauty  of  the  Highland  cattle,  she  se- 
lected some  choice  specimens  of  these,  which  she  had 
sent  down  to  Wexham  Eectory,  near  Windsor,  where 
she  resided,  and  spent  two  months  in  making  numer- 
ous studies,  from  which  she  produced  two  pictures: 
"  The  Denizens  of  the  Mountains"  and  "  Morning  in 
the  Highlands."  Her  preference  for  the  stern,  the 
abrupt,  and  the  majestic  over  the  soft,  the  smiling, 
and  the  fair,  makes  Italy,  with  all  its  glories,  less  at- 
tractive to  her  than  the  ruder  magnificence  of  the  Pyr- 
enees and  the  north. 


EOSA  BONHEUR.  283 

Among  mountains  the  great  artist  is  completely  in 
her  element;  out  of  doors  from  morning  till  night, 
lodging  in  the  humblest  and  remotest  of  road-side  ho- 
tels, or  in  the  huts  of  wood-cutters,  charcoal-burners, 
and  chamois-hunters,  and  living  contentedly  on  what- 
ever fare  can  be  obtained.  In  1856,  being  furnished 
by  families  of  distinction  in  the  Bearnais  and  the 
Basque  provinces  with  introductions,  her  party  push- 
ed their  adventurous  wanderings  to  the  little  station 
of  Peyronere,  the  last  inhabited  point  within  the 
French  frontier,  and  thence  up  the  romantic  defiles 
of  the  Yallee  d'Urdos,  across  the  summit  of  the  Pyre- 
nees. Their  letters  procured  them  a  hospitable  recep- 
tion at  each  halting-place,  with  a  trusty  guide  for  the 
next  march.  In  this  way  they  crossed  the  mountains, 
and  gained  the  lonely  posada  of  Canfan,  the  first  on 
the  Spanish  side  of  the  ridge,  where,  for  six  weeks, 
they  saw  no  one  but  the  muleteers  with  their  strings 
of  mules,  who  would  halt  for  the  night  at  the  little 
inn,  setting  out  at  the  earliest  dawn  for  their  descent 
of  the  mountains. 

The  people  of  the  posada  lived  entirely  on  curdled 
sheep's  milk,  the  sole  article  of  food  the  party  could 
obtain  on  their  arrival.  At  one  time,  by  an  early  fall 
of  snow,  they  were  shut  out  from  all  communication 
with  the  valley.  Their  threatened  starvation  was 
averted  by  the  exertions  of  Mademoiselle  Micas,  who 
managed  to  procure  a  quantity  of  frogs,  the  hind  legs 
of  which  she  enveloped  in  leaves,  and  toasted  on  sticks 
over  a  fire  on  the  hearth.  On  these  frogs  they  lived 
for  two  days,  when  the  hostess  was  induced  to  attempt 
the  making  of  butter  from  the  milk  of  her  sheep,  and 
even  to  allow  the  conversion  of  one  of  these  animals 
into  mutton  for  their  benefit.  Their  larder  thus  sup- 


284  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

plied,  and  black  bread  being  brought  for  them  by  the 
muleteers  from  a  village  a  long  way  off,  they  gave 
themselves  up  to  the  pleasures  of  their  wild  life  and 
the  business  of  sketching.  The  arrival  of  the  mule- 
teers, in  their  embroidered  shirts,  pointed  hats,  velvet 
jackets,  leathern  breeches,  and  sandals,  was  always  a 
welcome  event.  Kosa  paid  for  wine  for  them,  and 
they,  in  return,  performed  their  national  dances  for 
her,  after  which  they  would  throw  themselves  down 
for  the  night  upon  sheepskins  before  the  fire,  furnish- 
ing subjects  for  many  picturesque  croquis.  As  the 
posada  was  a  police-station,  established  there  as  a  ter- 
ror to  smugglers,  the  little  party  felt  perfectly  safe, 
notwithstanding  its  loneliness. 

Eosa  was  much  pleased  with  her  Scotch  tour.  She 
brought  away  a  wonderful  little  Skye  terrier,  named 
"  Wasp,"  of  the  purest  breed,  and  remarkably  intelli- 
gent, which  she  holds  in  great  affection.  She  has 
learned  for  its  benefit  several  English  phrases,  to  which 
"  Wasp"  responds  with  appreciative  waggings  of  the 
tail. 

Eosa  Bonheur  has  avowed  her  determination  never 
to  marry.  Determined  to  devote  her  life  to  her  favor- 
ite art,  she  may  be  expected  to  produce  a  long  line  of 
noble  works  that  will  worthily  maintain  her  present 
reputation ;  while  the  virtues  and  excellences  of  her 
private  character  will  win  for  her  an  ever-widening 
circle  of  admiration  and  respect. 


AMEKICAN  FEMALE  AETISTS. 


HAP   3R  XYIH. 

THE  NINETEENTH  CENTUEY. 

The  Practice  of  Art  in  America. — Number  of  women  Artists  in- 
creasing.— Prospect  flattering. — Imperfection  of  Sketches  of  living 
Artists. — Rosalba  Torrens. — Miss  Murray. — Mrs.  Lupton. — Miss 
Denning. — Miss  O'Hara. — Mrs.  Darley. — Mrs.  Goodrich. — Miss 
Foley. — Miss  Mackintosh  and  others. — Mrs.  Ball  Hughes. — Mrs. 
Chapin. — Sketch  of  Mrs.  Duncan. — The  Peale  Family. — Anec- 
dote of  General  Washington. — Mrs.  Washington's  Punctuality. — 
Miss  Peale  an  Artist  in  Philadelphia. — Paints  Miniatures. — Copies 
Pictures  from  great  Artists. — She  and  her  Sister  honorary  Mem- 
bers of  the  Academy. — Her  prosperous  Career. — Paints  with  her 
Sister  in  Baltimore  and  Washington. — Marriage  and  Widowhood. 
— Return  to  Philadelphia. — Second  Marriage. — Happy  Home. — 
Mrs.  Yeates. — Miss  Sarah  M.  Peale. — Success. — Removal  to  St. 
Louis. — Miss  Rosalba  Peale. — Miss  Ann  Leslie. — Early  Taste  in 
Painting. — Visits  to  London. — Copies  Pictures. — Miss  Sarah  Cole. 
— Mrs.  Wilson. — Intense  Love  of  Art. — Her  Sculptures. — Her 
impromptu  Modeling  of  Emerson's  Head. — Mrs.  Cornelius  Dubois. 
— Her  Taste  for  the  Sculptor's  Art. — Groups  by  her. — Studies  in 
Italy. — Her  Cameos. — Her  Kindness  to  Artists. — Miss  Anne  Hall. 
— Early  Love  of  Painting. — Lessons. — Copies  old  Paintings  in 
Miniature. — Her  original  Pictures. — Her  Merits  of  the  highest  Or- 
der.— Groups  in  Miniature. — Dunlap's  Praise. — Her  Productions 
numerous. — Mary  S.  Legare. — Her  Ancestry. — Mrs.  Legare. — 
Early  Fondness  for  Art  shown  by  the  Daughter. — Her  Studies. — 
Little  Beauty  in  the  Scenery  familiar  to  her. — Colonel  Cogdell's 
Sympathy  with  her. — Success  in  Copying. — Visit  to  the  Blue  Ridge. 
— Grand  Views. — Paintings  of  mountain  Scenery. — Removal  to 
Iowa. — "Legare  College." — Her  Erudition  and  Energy. — Her  Mar- 
riage.— Herminie  Dassel. — Reverse  of  Fortune. — Painting  for  a 
Living. — Visit  to  Vienna  and  Italy. — Removal  to  America. — Suc- 
cess and  Marriage. — Her  social  Virtues  and  Charity. — Miss  Jane 
Stuart. — Mrs.  Hildreth. — Mrs.  Davis. — Mrs.  Badger's  Book  of  Flow- 
ers.— Mrs.  Hawthorne. — Mrs.  Hill. — Mrs.  Greatorex. — Mrs.  Wood- 
man.— Miss  Gove. — Miss  May. — Miss  Granbury. — Miss  Oakley. 

IN  America  the  practice  of  art  by  woman  is  but  in 


286  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

its  commencement.  Although  many  names  of  female 
artists  are  now  familiar  to  the  public,  and  the  number 
is  rapidly  increasing,  few  have  had  time  to  accomplish 
all  for  which  they  may  possess  the  ability.  The  pros- 
pect, however,  is  one  most  flattering  to  our  national 
pride. 

The  sketches  of  living  American  women  who  are 
pursuing  art  are  chiefly  prepared  from  materials  fur- 
nished by  their  friends.  They  are  given  in  simplicity, 
and  may  appear  imperfect,  but  we  hope  indulgence 
may  be  extended  to  them  where  they  are  inadequate 
to  do  justice  to  the  subject. 

Rosalba  Torrens  is  mentioned  by  Ramsay,  in  his 
History  of  South  Carolina,  as  a  meritorious  landscape- 
painter.  Praise  is  also  bestowed  on  Eliza  Torrens, 
afterward  Mrs.  Cochran.  Miss  Mary  Murray  painted 
in  crayons  and  water-colors  in  New  York,  and  pro- 
duced many  life-sized  portraits,  which  gained  her  ce- 
lebrity. Madame  Planteau  painted  in  Washington 
about  1820,  and  was  highly  esteemed. 

Dunlap  mentions  Mrs.  Lupton  as  a  modeler.  She 
presented  a  bust  of  Governor  Throop  to  the  National 
Academy  of  Design  in  New  York,  of  which  she  was 
an  honorary  member.  Many  of  her  paintings  elicited 
high  commendation.  She  executed  many  busts  in 
clay,  of  her  friends.  There  was  hardly  a  branch  of 
delicate  workmanship  in  which  she  did  not  excel,  and 
her  literary  attainments  were  varied  and  extensive. 
She  was  an  excellent  French  scholar,  and  a  proficient 
in  Latin,  Italian,  and  Spanish,  besides  having  mastered 
the  Hebrew  sufficiently  to  read  the  Old  Testament 
with  ease.  In  English  literature  she  was  thoroughly 
versed,  and  was  an  advanced  student  in  botany  and 
natural  history. 


AMERICAN  FEMALE  ARTISTS.  287 

She  was  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Platt  Townsend,  and 
was  married  early  in  life.  Mr.  Lupton,  a  gentleman 
of  high  professional  and  literary  attainments,  resided 
in  the  city  of  New  York.  After  his  death  his  widow 
devoted  herself  to  study,  that  she  might  be  qualified 
to  educate  her  young  daughter,  and,  after  the  loss  of 
this  only  child,  pursued  knowledge  as  a  solace  for  her 
sorrows.  Her  talents  and  accomplishments,  her  ele- 
vated virtues  and  charities,  and  her  attractive  social 
qualities  drew  around  her  a  circle  of  warm  and  admir- 
ing friends.  She  lived  a  short  tune  in  Canada,  and 
died  at  the  house  of  a  relative  on  Long  Island. 

Miss  Charlotte  Denning,  of  Plattsburgh,  is  spoken 
of  as  a  clever  miniature-painter,  and  also  Miss  O'Hara, 
in  New  York.  Miss  Jane  Sully  (Mrs.  Darley),  the 
daughter  of  the  celebrated  artist,  is  mentioned  as  an 
artist  of  merit.  Mrs.  Goodrich,  of  Boston,  painted  an 
excellent  portrait  of  Gilbert  Stuart,  which  was  en- 
graved by  Durand  for  the  National  Portrait  Gallery. 
Her  miniatures  have  great  merit,  and  are  marked  by 
truth  and  expression. 

Margaret  Foley  was  a  member  of  the  New  England 
School  of  Design,  and  gave  instruction  in  drawing  and 
painting.  She  resided  in  Lowell,  and  was  frequently 
applied  to  for  her  cameos,  which  she  cut  beautifully. 
Miss  Sarah  Mackintosh  was  accustomed  to  draw  on 
stone  for  a  large  glass  company,  and  other  ladies  de- 
signed in  the  carpet  factory  at  Lowell  and  in  the  Mer- 
rimack  print-works,  showing  the  ability  of  women  to 
engage  in  such  occupations. 

Several  have  made  a  livelihood  by  the  business  of 
engraving  on  wood,  and  drawing  for  different  works. 

Mrs.  Ball  Hughes,  of  Boston,  the  wife  of  the  sculp- 
tor, supported  her  family  by  painting  and  by  giving 


288  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

lessons  in  the  art.  Mrs.  Chapin  had  a  large  drawing 
school  in  Providence,  and,  with  facility  in  every  style, 
is  said  to  be  admirable  in  crayons.  Many  others 
might  be  mentioned,  but  it  does  not  comport  with  the 
design  of  this  work  to  record  even  the  names  of  all 
who  deserve  the  tribute  of  praise. 

ANNA  C.  PEALE  (MKSf  DUNCAN). 

Several  ladies  of  the  Peale  family  have  been  distin- 
guished as  artists,  and  are  mentioned  in  the  histories 
of  painting  in  America.  The  parents  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  were  Captain  James  Peale  and  Mary 
Claypoole.  Her  maternal  ancestors,  the  Claypooles, 
came  to  this  country  with  William  Penn,  and  were 
among  the  earliest  settlers  in  Philadelphia.  They 
claimed  direct  descent  from  Oliver  Cromwell,  whose 
daughter  Elizabeth  married  Sir  John  Claypoole. 

James  Peale  had  great  celebrity  as  a  painter,  and  ex- 
celled both  in  miniatures  .and  oil  portraits.  He  was  not 
only  remarkable  for  success  in  his  likenesses,  but  had 
the  faculty  of  making  them  handsome  withal,  so  that 
he  was  called  among  his  acquaintances  "the  flattering 
artist."  This  pleasing  effect  he  gave,  not  by  altering 
the  features,  but  by  happy  touches  of  expression ;  and 
it  was  one  secret  of  his  eminent  success.  He  painted, 
from  actual  sittings,  several  portraits  of  General  "Wash- 
ington and  Mrs.  Washington.  One,  a  miniature,  is 
now  in  the  possession  of  his  eldest  daughter. 

On  one  occasion,  when  Washington  was  sitting  for 
his  portrait  in  Mr.  Peale's  painting-room,  he  looked  at 
his  watch,  and  said, 

"  Mr.  Peale,  my  time  for  sitting  has  expired ;  but,  if 
three  minutes  longer  will  be  of  any  importance  to 
you,  I  will  remain,  and  make  up  the  time  by  hasten- 


ANNA  C.  PEALE.  289 

ing  my  walk  up  to  the  State  House  (where  Congress 
was  in  session).  I  know  exactly  how  long  it  will 
take  me  to  walk  there ;  ancl  it  will  not  do  for  me,  as 
President,  to  be  absent  at  the  hour  of  meeting." 

Mrs.  Washington  was  as  remarkable  for  punctuality 
as  her  illustrious  husband.  At  one  time,  during  the 
general's  absence,  he  wrote  to  her  to  get  Mr.  James 
Peale  to  paint  her  portrait  in  miniature,  and  to  send 
it  to  him.  Mrs.  Washington  wrote  a  note  to  the 
artist,  saying  that  her  presence  at  home  was  indis- 
pensable when  the  general  was  away,  and  it  would 
not  be  convenient  for  her  to  attend  at  his  painting- 
room.  She  requested  him,  therefore,  to  come  to  her 
house  for  the  sittings,  and  offered  to  accommodate  her- 
self to  any  hour  when  it  would  suit  him  to  be  away 
from  his  studio.  In  his  reply  Mr.  Peale  appointed 
seven  o'clock  in  the  morning.  When  he  left  his  home 
to  keep  the  engagement  for  the  first  sitting,  it  occurred 
to  him  that  the  lady  might  not  be  quite  ready  to  see 
him  at  so  early  an  hour.  He  walked  on,  accordingly, 
more  slowly  than  usual.  Mrs.  Washington  met  him 
with  the  observation,  "  Mr.  Peale,  I  have  been  in  the 
kitchen  to  give  my  orders  for  the  day ;  have  read  the 
newspaper,  and  heard  my  niece  her  lesson  on  the 
harp ;  yet  have  waited  for  you  twenty  minutes." 

The  gentleman,  of  course,  felt  exceedingly  morti- 
fied, and  remarked  that  if  his  engagement  had  been 
with  General  Washington  he  should  have  felt  the  im- 
portance of  being  punctual  to  the  minute ;  but  he 
thought  it  necessary  to  allow  a  lady  a  little  more  time. 

"  Sir,"  replied  Mrs.  Washington,  "  I  am  as  punctual 
as  the  general."  It  may  be  imagined  that  Mr.  Peale 
took  care  to  be  at  the  house  the  next  day  at  the  time 
appointed. 

N 


290  WOMEN   AKTISTS. 

Dunlap,  in  his  sketch,  of  the  artist,  mentions  his  son 
and  two  daughters  as  having  adopted  their  father's 
profession.  There  were  three  daughters  who  did  thus, 
out  of  five  who  showed  talent  for  art,  viz.,  Anna, 
Sarah,  and  Margaretta.  The  son,  James  Peale,  show- 
ed, from  early  youth,  a  remarkable  talent  for  land- 
scape-painting. His  sketches  from  nature  were  ad- 
mirable. For  many  years,  though  not  a  professional 
artist,  he  contributed  an  exquisite  picture  to  every 
opening  of  the  annual  exhibition  of  the  Academy  of 
the  Fine  Arts,  in  Philadelphia. 

Anna  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  and  from  child- 
hood showed  extraordinary  talent  for  art.  When 
about  fourteen  years  of  age,  she  copied  in  oil-colors 
two  paintings  by  Yernet;  and  these,  sent  to  public 
auction,  brought  her  thirty  dollars,  then  esteemed  a 
good  price  for  first  efforts.  Stimulated  by  this  reward 
of  her  labor,  she  resolved  to  persevere,  and  in  time 
became  able  to  command  an  independence.  Her 
father  had  a  large  family  to  support  by  his  profession 
of  portrait  and  miniature  painting,  and  his  daughter 
looked  forward  with  pleasure  to  the  thought  of  being 
a  help  instead  of  a  burden  to  him.  It  was  not,  how- 
ever, until  two  years  after  that  she  was  able  seriously 
to  apply  herself  to  the  art.  One  other  attempt  only 
she  made  in  oil-colors;  a  small  fruit-piece,  from  na- 
ture. Her  father  thought  miniature-painting  on  ivory 
the  most  suitable  employment  for  a  lady,  and  urged 
her  to  make  a  trial  of  her  powers  in  that  branch.  She 
had  learned  much  by  standing  behind  his  chair,  hours 
and  hours  at  a  time,  and  watching  his  progress.  He 
took  great  pains  in  teaching  her,  pointing  out  the  pe- 
culiar touches  that  produced  his  best  effects,  by  giving 
a  charm  to  the  expression. 


ANNA  C.  PEALE.  291 

Not  only  was  Miss  Peale  assiduous  in  the  study  of 
her  father's  exquisite  miniatures,  but  she  copied  sev- 
eral executed  by  distinguished  artists  in  that  line. 
One,  from  a  painting  by  the  celebrated  Duchesne,  a 
portrait  of  Napoleon,  was  sold  to  a  gentleman  in  Phil- 
adelphia for  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  Her  am- 
bition to  attain  to  excellence,  now  fairly  kindled, 
nerved  her  to  industry  and  enterprise.  She  painted 
a  miniature  of  Washington  from  a  portrait,  which  was 
purchased  of  her  father  by  one  of  his  friends  and 
brother  officers  of  the  Kevolution,  Colonel  Allen 
M'Clain.  The  first  miniature  portraits  from  life 
which  she  undertook  were  those  of  Dr.  Spencer  H. 
Cone  and  his  venerable  mother.  These,  with  one  or 
two  others,  were  presented  at  the  annual  exhibition 
of  the  Academy  of  the  Fine  Arts.  She  and  her  sis- 
ter, Miss  Sarah  M.  Peale,  were  elected  honorary  mem- 
bers of  this  institution.  This  sister  had  adopted  por- 
trait-painting in  oil  as  her  profession. 

The  artistic  career  thus  commenced  went  011  most 
prosperously.  Although  she  owed  nothing  to  any 
public  notice  of  her  talents,  Miss  Anna  Peale  soon 
found  abundant  occupation  in  painting  miniature  like- 
nesses. Her  health,  however,  suffered  under  her  in- 
cessant labors,  and  she  was  compelled  to  put  a  higher 
price  on  her  work  in  order  to  reduce  the  number -of 
applications.  She  was  so  frequently  solicited  to  paint 
the  likenesses  of  children,  and  found  them  such  troub- 
lesome subjects,  that  she  charged  double  price  for 
them. 

From  the  commencement  of  Miss  Peale's  painting 
to  her  sister's  entrance  on  the  arena  as  a  portrait-paint- 
er, for  some  years,  it  is  believed,  she  was  the  only  pro- 
fessional lady  artist  in  Philadelphia.  The  sisters,  after 


292  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

having  commenced  their  labors,  passed  their  time  al- 
ternately in  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore ;  in  the  latter 
city  receiving  unbounded  attention  and  encourage- 
ment from  families  of  the  highest  respectability.  They 
were  not  only  well  received  as  artists,  but  were  wel- 
comed as  friends  and  hospitably  entertained.  They 
were  much  caressed  by  the  family  of  the  venerable 
Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton.  Miss  Sarah  painted  in 
oil  a  portrait  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Caten. 

The  sisters  afterward  went  to  Washington  to  paint 
the  portrait  of  General  La  Fayette,  who  sat  for  it  at 
their  request.  Anna  spent  the  winter  of  1819  in  the 
Federal  city  with  her  uncle,  Charles  M.  Peale,  who 
went  there  for  the  purpose  of  painting  the  portraits 
of  many  distinguished  members  of  Congress.  They 
worked  in  the  same  studio.  General  Jackson  was  one 
of  their  sitters.  Miss  Peale  retained  his  portrait,  and 
has  it  still  in  her  possession.  President  Monroe  also 
had  his  likeness  taken,  and  the  artists  were  often  hos- 
pitably entertained  at  the  "  White  House"  by  the  Pres- 
ident and  his  amiable  wife.  During  the  time  of  her 
stay  in  Washington,  Miss  Peale  had  her  time  filled  up 
with  commissions ;  she  painted  several  of  the  members 
of  Congress,  among  whom  were  Henry  Clay  and  Col- 
onel E.  M.  Johnson. 

In  the  following  year  Miss  Peale  again  visited 
Washington.  She  painted  a  miniature  likeness  of 
that  remarkable  character,  John  Randolph  of  Roanoke. 
It  is  now  in  her  possession.  So  incessant  was  her  ap- 
plication to  work,  that  during  the  summer  she  was 
obliged  to  travel  for  the  recovery  of  her  health,  and 
to  give  rest  to  her  eyes.  Several  times  they  were  at- 
tacked with  inflammation,  and  at  one  time  she  had 
cause  to  dread  the  total  loss  of  sight.  Some  time  aft- 


ANNA  C.  PEALE.  293 

er  tliis  period  she  visited  Boston,  where  she  painted 
several  portraits.  Daniel  Webster  sat  twice  for  a  min- 
iature, which  she  never  quite  finished. 

In  1829  Miss  Peale  received  the  addresses  of  Eev. 
Dr.  William  Staughton,  a  Baptist  clergyman  of  much 
learning  and  distinction.  He  was  about  that  time 
elected  president  of  the  Theological  College  at  George- 
town, Kentucky.  They  were  married  August  27th, 
1829,  and  left  Philadelphia  for  the  scene  of  the  hus- 
band's future  labors.  While  they  were  in  the  city  of 
Washington,  Dr.  Staughton  was  taken  ill.  He  died 
early  in  December,  in  a  little  more  than  three  months 
after  the  marriage.  The  widow  returned  to  Philadel- 
phia the  following  spring.  She  resumed  her  profes- 
sion, and  painted  with  as  great  success  as  before. 

Her  second  marriage,  with  General  William  Dun- 
can, a  gentleman  highly  esteemed  in  social  life,  may  be 
said  to  have  closed  her  career  as  an  artist,  though  her 
love  for  art  can  never  be  lost.  In  her  happy  home, 
surrounded  by  accomplished  relatives,  and  beloved  by 
a  large  circle  of  friends,  she  looks  back  with  pride  to 
the  days  when  she  toiled  to  woo  the  Muse  of  Painting, 
and  still  acknowledges  the  truthful  remark  of  the  Ger- 
man poet : 

"  He  who  can  not  apprehend  the  Beautiful  has  no 
heart  for  the  Good." 

The  only  person  to  whom  Mrs.  Duncan  ever  gave 
lessons  in  miniature-painting  was  her  niece,  Mary 
Jane  Simes,  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  John  Yeates,  of 
Baltimore.  This  lady  is  an  artist  of  no  small  celeb- 
rity. 

Miss  Sarah  M.  Peale  excelled  not  only  in  oil  por- 
traits but  in  still-life  pieces.  She  has  resided  for  the 
last  ten  years  in  St.  Louis,  whither  she  was  induced  to 


294  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

go  by  the  invitation  of  numerous  friends.  She  found 
there  such  encouragement  and  success,  with  such  warm 
regard  from  her  friends,  that  she  "has  not  as  yet  found 
leisure  to  leave  her  engrossing  pursuits  for  a  visit  to 
her  native  city.  Her  varied  talents  and  amiable  char- 
acter are  justly  appreciated,  and  she  has  gathered 
around  her  a  large  and  estimable  circle.  She  possess- 
es a  fine  talent  for  music  in  addition  to  her  other  ac- 
complishments. 

Mrs.  Eembrandt  Peale  is  highly  spoken  of  as  a 
painter  in  oil-colors. 

•  Miss  Rosalba  Peale  is  an  amateur  artist,  and  is  said 
to  have  been  the  first  lady  member  of  any  Academy 
of  Art  in  America. 

ANN  LESLIE. 

The  name  of  Leslie  has  been  placed  by  a  painter  of 
eminent  merit  among  the  most  distinguished  of  this 
century,  and  his  sister  has  contributed  to  its  fame. 
She  was  born  in  Philadelphia;  her  parents,  Kobert 
Leslie  and  Lydia  Baker,  went  to  London  in  1793, 
when  she  was  an  infant,  and  returned  in  1799.  She 
showed  a  taste  for  painting  in  childhood,  but  did  not 
take  it  up  as  a  regular  employment  till  1822,  at  which 
time  she  was  again  in  London,  on  a  visit  to  her  brother. 
She  copied  several  of  his  pictures,  and  two  or  three  by 
Sir  Joshua  Eeynolds,  besides  painting  portraits  of  her 
friends.  She  returned  in  1825  to  Philadelphia,  with 
her  sister,  Mrs.  Henry  Carey,  and  her  brother-in-law, 
but  paid  another  visit  to  London  four  years  afterward. 
Several  copies  she  made  from  pictures  were  engraved 
for  the  Atlantic  Souvenir.  One  of  "  Sancho  and  the 
Duchess"  was  pronounced  equal  to  the  original  in  ex- 
ecution. Her  skill  was  great  in  imitating  coloring, 


MRS.  WILSON.  295 

but  she  was  accustomed  to  make  the  outlines  me- 
chanically. 

Her  life  was  passed  in  cheerful  and  contented  activ- 
ity. She  resided  several  years  in  New  York,  where 
she  occupied  herself  chiefly  in  copying  paintings.  She 
died  in  the  summer  of  1857. 

Miss  Sarah  Cole,  the  sister  of  the  celebrated  artist, 
had  a  great  deal  of  talent,  and  not  only  copied  paint- 
ings, but  produced  original  compositions.  She  was 
born  in  England,  but  spent  most  of  her  life  in  the 
United  States.  She  died  in  1858. 

MRS.  WILSON. 

Mrs.  Lee  mentions  Mrs.  Wilson  of  Cincinnati  as 
having  displayed  much  original  talent  in  sculpture. 
The  following  account  is  from  a  friend's  letter : 

"  She  is  the  wife  of  a  physician  of  Cincinnati,  and 
was  born,  I  believe,  in  or  near  Cooperstown,  New 
York.  Her  first  impressions  of  persons  and  things 
are  expressed  in  her  conversation.  She  is  a  perfect 
child  of  nature,  impulsive,  but  wonderfully  perceptive, 
and  with  so  much  freshness  that  all  persons  of  mind 
are  attracted  to  her.  Her  infancy  and  youth  were  very 
much  shadowed  by  domestic  sufferings,  originating,  at 
first,  in  the  loss  of  a  large  property  by  her  father,  who 
in  consequence  removed  to  the  West.  He  died  when 
she  was  quite  young.  She  married  Dr.  Wilson,  a  most 
excellent  person,  of  Quaker  family.  All  circumstances 
were  such,  that  an  early  revelation  or  development  was 
not  made  of  her  artistic  powers.  In  visiting  a  sculptor's 
studio  the  desire  first  awoke ;  an  intelligent  friend  en- 
couraged and  sympathized  with  her,  and  Mrs.  Wilson 
procured  the  materials.  Her  feeling  was  so  intense 
that  it  could  not  be  repressed.  Her  husband  was  her 


296  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

first  subject.  She  worked  with  so  much  energy  that 
sometimes  she  would  faint  away,  and  on  one  of  these 
occasions  he  said,  '  If  you  are  not  more  moderate,  I 
will  throw  that  thing  out  of  the  window.'  But  it 
was  finished,  proving  a  perfect  likeness,  and  she  chis- 
eled it  in  stone.  It  is  in  her  parlor  at  Cincinnati, 
a  most  beautiful  bust,  and  an  admirable  likeness,  and 
seems  like  a  miracle,  considering  it  was  her  first  at- 
tempt. 

"  Another  marvelous  work  is  the  figure  of  her  son. 
He  threw  himself  on  the  floor  one  morning  in  an  at- 
titude at  once  striking  and  picturesque.  To  copy  it 
required  a  perfectly  correct  eye,  or  a  knowledge  of 
anatomy.  She  courageously  attempted  it;  the  atti- 
tude was  repeated,  and  her  success  was  triumphant. 
It  is  only  a  cast,  and  the  cast  does  not  do  justice  to 
the  finish  of  her  work,  but  she  has  not  been  able  to 
procure  a  block  of  marble  for  the  copy.  The  effect  is 
wonderful  for  its  spirit  and  the  accuracy  of  its  anat- 
omy. She  has  commenced  other  subjects,  but  some 
of  them  are  not  finished,  and  to  others  accidents  have 
happened. 

"She  has  a  family  of  children,  and  is  a  devoted 
mother.  We  think  stone  will  have  but  little  chance 
with  those  beings  of  flesh  and  blood  whose  minds  and 
hearts  she  is  carefully  modeling.  Perhaps  family  cares 
may  be  the  true  secret  why  female  sculptors  are  so 
rare ;  but  we  congratulate  this  lady  that  she  has  the 
true  perception  of  the  beautiful,  and  feel  quite  sure  it 
will  mitigate  the  suffering  from  delicate  health,  and 
scatter  fragrant  flowers  and  healing  herbs  in  the  some- 
times rugged  paths  of  duty." 

A  gentleman  acquainted  with  Mrs.  "Wilson  men- 
tioned an  incident  that  occurred  on  a  journey  to  the 


MRS.  DUBOIS.  297 

Mammoth  Cave  of  Kentucky.  Struck  with  the  as- 
pect of  a  distinguished  person  in  the  company — Mr. 
Emerson — the  sculptress  gave  directions  to  stop  near 
a  bank  of  soft  red  clay,  and,  putting  out  one  hand  to 
grasp  a  sufficient  portion  of  the  material,  with  the 
other  she  signed  to  her  subject  to  remain  motionless. 
In  a  few  moments  she  had  modeled  a  very  creditable 
likeness  of  the  author. 

MRS.  DUBOIS. 

Mrs.  Cornelius  Dubois,  now  residing  in  New  York, 
and  devoted  to  the  charitable  institution  of  the  Nurs- 
ery and  Child's  Hospital,  has  shown  much  talent  for 
sculpture  and  cameo-cutting.  Mrs.  Lee  describes  her 
as  having  discovered,  accidentally,  about  1842,  a  taste 
for  modeling,  in  the  following  manner:  "Her  father 
had  his  bust  taken.  Before  the  casting,  he  asked  his 
daughter  her  opinion  of  it  as  a  likeness.  She  pointed 
out  some  defects  which  the  artist  corrected  in  her 
presence,  upon  which  she  exclaimed,  'I  could  do 
that!'  and  requested  the  sculptor  to  give  her  some 
clay,  from  which  she  modeled,  with  but  little  labor,  a 
bust  of  her  husband,  and  was  eminently  successful  in 
the  likeness.  She  then  decided  to  take  lessons,  but 
illness  having  interfered  with  her  plans,  she  abandoned 
the  intention,  and  worked  on  by  herself,  with  merely 
the  instruction  from  the  sculptor  to  keep  her  clay 
moist  until  her  work  was  completed. 

"When  she  recovered  her  health  sufficiently,  she 
continued  to  mould,  and,  among  other  works,  produced 
the  likenesses  of  two  of  her  little  children,  the  group 
of  Cupid  and  Psyche,  a  copy ;  and  a  novice,  an  orig- 
inal piece.  She  also  carved  a  head  of  the  Madonna 
in  marble ;  a  laborious  and  exciting  work,  which  in- 
N"  2 


298  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

jured  her  health  to  such  a  degree  that  her  physician 
interdicted  her  devotion  to  the  arts. 

"  She  then  went  to  Italy,  where  she  desired  the  first 
artist  in  cameos  to  give  her  lessons.  When  he  saw 
some  that  she  had  cut,  he  told  her  that  he  could  teach 
her  nothing ;  she  had  only  to  study  the  antiques. 

"Her  works  in  cameos  are  'St.  Agnes  and  her 
Lamb,'  ' Alcibiades,'  'Guide's  Angel,'  'Baphael's 
Hope,'  and  the  '  Apollo.'  She  took  over  thirty  like- 
nesses in  cameo,  requiring  only  an  hour's  sitting,  after 
which  they  were  completed. 

"Notwithstanding  the  care  of  a  large  family,  the 
superintendence  of  the  education  of  her  daughters,  and 
the  sad  drawback  of  ill  health,  her  energy  has  never 
failed  her.  She  has  always  extended  a  helping  hand 
and  a  smile  of  encouragement  to  young  artists,  one  of 
whom  was  in  Brown's  studio ;  another  is  the  sculptor 
of  the  '  Shipwrecked  Mother,'  who  alludes  to  her  kind- 
ness in  his  short  autobiography. 

"  But,  while  ascending  the  ladder  to  fame,  her  prog- 
ress was  arrested  by  ill  health,  and  she  now  lives  only 
to  feel,  as  she  says,  how  little  she  has  done  compared 
to  what  she  might  do  could  she  devote  herself  to  the 
art.  Anxious  to  impart  to  others  this  great  gift,  and 
to  stimulate  her  countrywomen  to  the  development 
of  any  latent  talent  they  may  possess,  she  formed  a 
class  of  young  ladies,  and  most  disinterestedly  devoted 
a  certain  portion  of  her  time  to  their  instruction  for 
several  months. 

"  While  all  who  know  her  admire  the  artist  for  her 
talents,  her  unceasing  energy,  and  philanthropic  exer- 
tions, they  behold  in  her  the  good  wife,  mother,  and 
friend,  and  the  elegant  and  accomplished  woman,  pre- 
siding over  the  social  circle.  Her  heart  remains  true 


ANNE  HALL.  299 

to  the  gentle  influences  of  nature,  while  her  genius  is 
ever  responsive  to  immortal  Art." 

ANNE  HALL. 

Anne  Hall  was  born  in  Pomfret,  Connecticut.  She 
was  the  third  daughter  of  Dr.  Jonathan  Hall,  a  physi- 
cian of  distinction.  Her  talent  for  art  was  early  de- 
veloped, and  her  father,  who  loved  painting,  endeav- 
ored to  foster  the  promise  of  her  childhood.  A  visit- 
or having  presented  her  with  a  box  of  colors  and  pen- 
cils, she  began  to  use  them ;  and  her  father,  who  was 
pleased  with  her  progress,  procured  for  her  a  box  of 
Colors  from  China.  She  had  a  brother  who  admired 
and  valued  pictures,  and  whose  praise  encouraged  her 
to  continue  her  childish  attempts.  He  supplied  her 
with  such  materials  as  she  needed  for  drawing  and 
painting.  Every  hint  she  received  from  artists  was 
turned  to  account,  and  she  gave  herself  to  her  favor- 
ite occupation  with  enthusiasm.  She  delighted  in  im- 
itating nature ;  and  fruits,  birds,  flowers,  and  even  fish 
and  insects  were  subjects  for  her  pencil ;  but  she  took 
especial  pleasure  in  producing  likenesses  of  her  friends. 
Living  in  a  retired  part  of  the  country,  she  had  little 
access  to  paintings  of  value  for  a  long  time ;  but,  be- 
ing sent  on  a  visit  to  a  relative  in  Newport,  Ehode 
Island,  she  received  some  instruction  in  painting  on 
ivory  from  Mr.  Samuel  King,  who  had  been  an  early 
teacher  of  Alston,  and  also  of  Malbone.  Miss  Hall 
gained  less  knowledge  from  her  master's  lessons,  how- 
ever, than  from  copying  some  paintings  of  the  old 
masters  which  her  brother  afterward  sent  home  from 
Cadiz  and  other  places  in  Spain.  These  were  faith- 
fully copied  on  ivory  in  miniature.  "A  Mother  and 
a  Sleeping  Child,"  still  in  her  possession,  shows  her 


300  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

progress  at  this  time.  "  A  Mother  in  Tears,"  copied 
from  a  painting  on  ivory,  was  much  admired  as  evi- 
dence of  fidelity  in  copying  and  skill  in  coloring. 
Studying  the  pictures  procured  by  her  brother,  she 
learned  to  appreciate  their  excellences,  while,  by  com- 
paring them  with  nature,  she  was  enabled  to  avoid  the 
formality  of  a  mere  copyist.  She  began  now  to  give 
form  and  coloring  to  the  conceptions  of  her  imagina- 
tion, and  attempted  original  composition. 

Miss  Hall  took  some  lessons  in  oil-painting  from 
Alexander  Kobertson  in  New  York,  but  has  chiefly 
devoted  herself  to  painting  in  water-colors  on  ivory. 
Her  merits  have  been  acknowledged  by  the  most  dis- 
tinguished artists  in  New  York  and  different  parts  of 
the  United  States  to  be  of  the  highest  order.  Among 
her  miniature  copies  of  oil  pictures  by  old  masters, 
two  from  Guido  were  particularly  noticed  as  executed 
with  surprising  vigor  and  a  rich  glow  of  coloring. 
Her  groups  of  children  from  life  were  done  with  mas- 
terly skill,  and  finished  with  a  taste  and  delicacy  which 
a  woman's  hand  only  could  exhibit.  Her  portraits  in 
miniature  were  acknowledged  to  possess  exquisite 
delicacy  and  beauty.  The  soft  colors  seem  breathed 
on  the  ivory  rather  than  applied  with  the  brush.  A 
miniature  group  often  sold  for  five  hundred  dollars. 

Dunlap  mentions  one  of  her  compositions  as  "  mark- 
ed with  the  beautiful  simplicity  of  some  of  Eeynolds's 
Or  Lawrence's  portraits  of  children,  evincing  a  mas- 
terly touch  and  glowing  in  admirable  coloring." 

Miss  Hall  was  unanimously  elected  a  member  of 
the  National  Academy  of  Design  in  New  York.  Her 
portrait  of  a  lovely  Greek  girl,  from  life,  was  engraved, 
and  the  rare  beauty  of  the  painting  was  universally 
acknowledged.  The  floating  silken  waves  of  hair 


MARY  SWINTON  LEGARE.  301 

have  an  unrivaled  effect.  A  group  of  two  girls  and  a 
boy  is  admirable  in  composition,  color,  and  expression. 
Miss  Hall's  "  management  of  infant  beauty"  is,  indeed, 
unsurpassed;  her  flowers  and  children,  Dunlap  ob- 
serves, "combine  in  an  elegant  bouquet." 

One  of  the  best  of  her  original  compositions  is  a 
group  of  a  mother  and  child — Mrs.  Jay  and  her  in- 
fant. The  first,  clasping  the  babe  to  her  bosom,  has 
a  Madonna-like  beauty ;  the  child  is  perfect  in  attitude 
and  expression.  Another  group  of  a  mother  and  two 
young  children,  the  widow  and  orphans  of  the  late 
Matthias  Bruen,  has  a  most  charming  expression.  One 
of  the  children  was  painted  as  a  cherub  in  a  separate 
picture,  much  valued  by  artists  as  a  rare  specimen  of 
skill.  Miss  Hall  has  also  painted  the  portraits  in  min- 
iature of  many  persons  distinguished  in  the  best  social 
circles  of  New  York.  Several  of  her  groups  have 
been  copied  in  enamel  in  France,  and  thus  made  inde- 
structible. Three  children  of  Mrs.  Ward,  with  a  dog 
and  bird ;  a  child  holding  a  grape-vine  branch ;  with 
portraits  of  Mrs.  Crawford,  widow  of  the  sculptor,  Mrs. 
Divie  Bethune,  and  the  daughters  of  Governor  King, 
may  be  mentioned  among  numerous  works,  a  single 
one  of  which  has  sufficient  merit  to  establish  the  au- 
thor's claim  to  the  reputation  she  has  long  enjoyed, 
of  being  the  best  of  American  miniaturists. 

MARY  SWINTON  LEGARE  (MRS.  BULLEN). 

The  family  of  Legard  (once  spelled  L'Egaree)  is  of 
the  old  stock  of  French  Huguenots  who  furnished  the 
best  blood  of  Carolina.  Madame  Legare,  an  honored 
ancestress  of  our  subject,  being  a  firm  Huguenot,  im- 
mediately after  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes 
sent  to  America  her  only  child,  Solomon,  then  seven- 


302  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

teen  years  old ;  parting  with  him,  as  she  believed,  for- 
ever in  this  life,  that  he  might  be  saved  from  peril, 
and  not  be  tempted  to  abandon  his  faith.  This  boy 
— called  by  his  descendants  "  The  Huguenot" — went 
first  to  Canada,  and  in  1685  to  Charleston,  South  Car- 
olina. He  became  the  ancestor  of  a  numerous  poster- 
ity, of  which,  during  the  Ee volution,  thirteen  bearing 
the  name  were  patriot  soldiers,  active  in  the  cause  of 
American  liberty. 

On  the  death  of  her  husband,  Madame  Legare  left 
her  native  France  and  came  to  America.  Here  she 
found  her  son  married,  and  the  father  of  nine  chil- 
dren. She  had  given  him  up  for  religion's  sake ;  God 
restored  him  to  her  arms,  able  to  minister  to  her  de- 
clining years.  Her  grandson,  the  great-grandfather 
of  Hugh  and  Mary  Legare',  died  in  1774,  at  the  age 
of  seventy -nine.  Yet,  when  the  Colonies  entered  into 
a  compact  for  mutual  defense,  he  resolutely  refused  to 
be  put  on  the  list  of  the  "  aged  and  noncombatant," 
saying  he  was  able  to  "shoulder  his  musket  with  any 
man,"  besides  managing  a  charger  equal  to  any  troop- 
er ;  he  "  would  not  be  insulted  by  being  laid  aside." 
Thus  our  heroine  had  a  great-grandfather  and  two 
grandfathers,  besides  other  relatives,  in  the  patriot 
army  of  the  Ke volution,  where  youths  of  sixteen  and 
eighteen  often  fought  beside  their  grandsires. 

The  father  of  Miss  Legare  married  a  lady  whose 
grandfather,  Alexander  Swinton,  of  a  Scottish  family, 
was  sent  from  England,  about  1728,  as  surveyor-gen- 
eral of  the  province  of  South  Carolina.  He  lost  a 
large  estate  by  the  villainy  of  executors  and  guard- 
ians ;  but  after  his  death,  Hugh  Swinton,  his  son,  was 
taken  to  Scotland  by  his  uncle,  and  educated  as  be- 
came a  young  gentleman  of  birth  and  fortune,  being 


MARY  SWINTON  LEGAKE.  303 

married  to  a  descendant  of  that  John  Hayne  who  fled 
from  the  persecution  of  the  Puritans  by  Charles  II. 
and  his  bishops,  and  fixed  his  home  in  Carolina. 
Thus,  on  both  sides,  a  heritage  of  honor  and  religious 
faith  is  derived  from  her  ancestors  by  the  lady  who 
fills  a  place  in  our  humble  annals. 

The  name  of  Hugh  Swinton  Legare  is  endeared  to 
all  South  Carolinians,  the  more  so  as  his  genius  and 
literary  attainments  commanded  celebrity  on  both 
sides  of  the  Atlantic.  His  sister's  talents  are  not  infe- 
rior to  his,  though  she  has  filled  no  place  in  the  na- 
tional councils  nor  at  foreign  courts,  but  in  a  quiet 
and  uneventful  life  has  made  her  impression  on  the 
social  and  intellectual  advancement  of  the  day.  The 
youngest  of  three  children  who  survived  the  father, 
she  was  born  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  where  her 
childhood  and  youth  were  spent.  Mrs.  Legare,  left  a 
widow  before  she  had  completed  her  twenty-eighth 
year,  devoted  her  time  and  means  entirely  to  the  edu- 
cation of  her  little  ones.  She  was  a  woman  of  extra- 
ordinary mental  powers,  and  her  mind  had  been  sed- 
ulously cultivated.  Her  ideas  of  education  were  broad 
and  comprehensive,  and  her  efforts  were  directed  to 
the  training  of  her  children  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
make  their  lives  exemplary,  useful,  and  happy,  as  well 
as  to  develop  their  intellects.  How  well  she  succeed- 
ed the  honorable  career  of  all  her  children  testifies. 
The  noble  character  and  life  of  her  eldest  daughter, 
Mrs.  Bryan,  and  the  brilliant  fame  achieved  by  the 
son,  add  evidence  to  the  fact  that  she  was  one  of  those 
mothers  whose  offspring  rise  up  to  call  her  blessed. 
Mrs.  Legare  died  on  the  1st  of  January,  1843,  in  the 
seventy-second  year  of  her  age. 

It  was  not  strange  that  the  children  should  grow 


304  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

up  cherishing  a  deep  and  intense  love  for  so  excellent 
a  mother.  Mary,  an  infant  when  bereft  of  her  father, 
very  early  showed  a  fondness  for  study,  and  a  special 
predilection  for  the  languages  and  the  fine  arts.  Even 
before  she  was  able  to  express  emotions  of  admiration 
or  delight,  she  evinced  a  remarkable  sensibility  both 
to  melody  and  color.  When  less  than  three  years 
old,  she  would  be  affected  to  tears  or  moved  to  joyous 
mirth  by  different  musical  sounds.  Beautiful  pictures 
had  for  her  young  fancy  irresistible  fascination  at  an 
age  when  she  could  hardly  be  supposed  able  to  recog- 
nize the  objects  they  represented.  Her  mother  fre- 
quently observed  of  her  little  Mary  that,  when  she 
showed  signs  of  impatience  or  weariness,  or  fretted  for 
want  of  amusement,  all  that  was  necessary  to  soothe 
her  discontent  or  charm  her  into  happiness  was  to  fur- 
nish her  with  paper  and  a  pencil.  The  child  would 
amuse  herself  for  hours  with  her  drawings.  Her  de- 
cided talents  for  music  and  painting — coloring  in  par- 
ticular— were  soon  perceived  by  this  tender  mother, 
who  determined  to  give  her  daughter  every  possible 
aid  in  the  cultivation  of  tastes  so  congenial  to  her  own, 
Mrs.  Legare  being  herself  accomplished  in  no  ordinary 
degree  in  both  these  lady-like  pursuits. 

Miss  Legare  had  resolved  to  make  herself  mistress 
of  the  languages  even  before  she  could  read  and  write 
English  with  any  great  proficiency.  She  had  in  these 
studies,  and  other  branches  of  scholarship,  the  best 
teachers  that  could  be  procured.  Her  mother  was  her 
first  instructor  in  music.  But  it  was  otherwise  in  the 
art  to  which  she  had  determined  especially  to  devote 
herself;  no  efficient  teacher  of  drawing  could  be  found. 
Although  remuneration  for  lessons  was  liberal — thirty 
dollars  per  term  being  paid — it  was  almost  impossible 


MARY  SWINTON  LEGARE.  305 

to  find  any  one  capable  of  giving  proper  instruction. 
The  young  girl  was  therefore  obliged  to  practice  un- 
aided the  art  she  began  to  love  with  increased  enthu- 
siasm, and  her  progress  was  still  more  retarded  by  the 
want  of  models  or  scenes  in  nature  that  might  take 
her  fancy.  The  low  country  of  South  Carolina — af- 
fording the  only  landscapes  she  had  ever  seen — 
abounds  in  flat  and  swampy  districts.  There  is  much 
beauty  for  an  unaccustomed  eye  in  the  bleached  wil- 
derness of  pine-land,  with  its  stately,  solemn  groves, 
through  which  the  wind  surges  with  ocean-like  mur- 
mur ;  but  it  is  not  of  the  kind  available  for  the  artist. 
Nor  is  that  of  the  swamp,  with  its  immeasurable  ex- 
tent of  wood  and  impenetrable  undergrowth,  through 
which  may  be  seen  at  intervals  the  dark,  turbid  water 
soaking  its  way  through  masses  of  tangled  weeds,  the 
slimy  abode  of  reptiles,  or  the  hiding-place  of  the 
water-fowl.  There  are  green  morasses  choked  with 
vegetation,  into  which  the  sunbeams  never  penetrate ; 
or  over  the  quagmire,  rank  with  decay,  rise  giant 
trees,  twined  with  thick  creepers,  and  burying  the 
matted  brush  beneath  them  in  black  shadow.  The 
trees  are  often  loaded  with  the  gray  hanging  moss  that 
forms  the  ornament  of  woods  in  the  low  lands.  The 
mixture  of  gloom  and  beauty,  of  luxuriance  and  hor- 
ror, is  a  striking  novelty  to  the  Northern  visitor.  The 
ragged  thickets,  too,  are  alternated  with  islands  of 
lovely  verdure ;  the  water-lily  decks  the  dark  lakelet 
with  its  broad  leaves  and  white  flowers ;  and  graceful 
vines  festoon  the  evergreens,  mingling  bright  blossoms 
with  their  leaves  of  sombre  verdure. 

Such  scenes  presented  little  to  tempt  the  copyist, 
yet,  notwithstanding  her  difficulties  and  discourage- 
ments in  painting,  Miss  Legare  continued  to  struggle 


306  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

on  toward  the  idea  of  perfection  in  her  untutored  im- 
agination. Her  brother  Hugh  was  wont  to  remark 
that  "  her  passion  lay  there,"  in  the  painter's  art.  She 
found  not  much  sympathy  in  this  chosen  pursuit,  till 
some  time  in  the  year  1827,  when  she  became  acquaint- 
ed with  a  gentleman  who  possessed  a  similar  taste, 
cultivated  in  a  high  degree  by  superior  knowledge  of 
art.  This  was  Colonel  John  S.  Cogdell,  who  at  that 
time  had  considerable  celebrity  as  an  amateur  painter. 
Miss  Legare  submitted  her  efforts  to  his  careful  criti- 
cism, and  received  from  him  the  instruction  she  need- 
ed. She  has  attributed  her  subsequent  success  to  his 
aid.  He  procured  for  her  study  the  finest  new  pic- 
tures that  could  be  obtained.  Among  the  artists 
whose  works  were  now  introduced  to  her,  Doughty 
became,  to  her  fancy,  the  beau  ideal  of  excellence. 
Even  when  a  child  she  had  been  accustomed  to  turn 
away  in  disgust,  with  a  u'Tis  not  pretty,  mamma," 
from  flaring  or  exaggerated  colors  in  a  picture.  Dough- 
ty's  subdued  coloring,  and  soft,  dreamy  style,  kindled 
her  imagination,  and  aroused  her  ardent  emulation. 
"Could  I  but  paint  one  picture  like  Doughty's!"  she 
would  often  exclaim ;  and  it  may  be  said  her  earliest 
initiation  into  the  school  of  Nature,  and  into  an  appre- 
hension of  her  seductive  beauties,  was  by  seeing  the 
works  of  this  eminent  American  landscape-painter, 
whom  his  country  allowed  to  languish  in  bitter  pen- 
ury, for  want  of  the  appreciation  his  genius  should 
have  commanded.  Miss  Legare's  first  attempt  to  copy 
one  of  his  paintings  succeeded  beyond  the  most  san- 
guine expectations  of  herself  and  her  friends.  Colonel 
Cogdell  encouraged  her  still  more  by  saying,  "  You 
have  an  eye  for  color,  which  must  insure  you  success 
in  copying  nature." 


MARY  SWINTON  LEGARE.  307 

In  truth,  the  young  artist  did  not  long  remain  sat- 
isfied with  spending  all  her  energies  merely  in  copy- 
ing the  werks  of  others.  Though  she  had  never  vis- 
ited any  other  region  than  the  low  forest  country  of 
her  native  state,  she  endeavored  to  create  scenes  by 
combining  various  objects  into  a  single  composition. 
Landscapes  and  rustic  scenes  in  every  variety  were 
her  delight;  yet,  having  never  seen  a  mountain,  nor 
the  country  in  any  aspects  different  from  the  monot- 
onous views  in  her  neighborhood,  how  was  she  to  pro- 
duce an  original  picture  ?  How  do  justice  in  any  way 
to  the  powers  of  which  she  felt  conscious?  It  was 
not  so  easy  for  a  lady  to  travel.  In  the  South  partic- 
ularly, she  would  be  hampered  in  many  ways ;  and 
"  Mrs.  Grundy"  would  have  devoted  to  death  by  tor- 
ture any  young  girl  who  could  have  done  so  heinous 
a  thing  as  take  a  journey  of  observation  by  herself! 
Miss  Legare,  therefore,  was  shut  in  to  contemplation 
of  the  boundless  ocean  and  the  swamp  forest  almost 
as  limitless.  Dark  scenes  and  deep  shadows,  with 
warm  glowing  skies  became  features  in  her  paintings, 
and  her  trees  of  great  variety,  clear,  deep  water,  and 
skies  were  pronounced  by  critics  superior  to  those  of 
the  artists  she  most  admired.  She  adopted  in  a  meas- 
ure the  style  of  Euysdael,  mingled,  in  the  more  deli- 
cate shades,  with  the  warmth  of  Cuyp. 

In  the  summer  of  1833  her  longing  wish  was  grati- 
fied. She  went,  accompanied  by  her  mother,  to  spend 
the  warm  season  amid  the  glorious  mountain  scenery 
of  the  Blue  Kidge  in  North  Carolina.  This  region 
has  been  thought  to  surpass  in  magnificence  and  maj- 
esty any  mountainous  district  in  the  Atlantic  States. 
Miss  Legare  was  far  more  delighted  with  these  mount- 
ains than  with  the  scenery  of  Lake  George  and  the 


308  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Hudson,  which  she  had  visited  the  year  before,  find- 
ing it,  as  well  as  the  Alleghany  range,  to  disappoint 
her  expectations.  But  when,  on  her  approach  to  Ash- 
ville,  her  eyes  rested  on  the  exhaustless  variety  of 
form  and  tint,  blended  into  soft  harmony,  on  the  dis- 
tant Blue  Kidge,  the  beauty  and  sublimity  of  the  scene 
filled  her  with  emotions  she  had  no  language  to  ex- 
press. There  was  awful  grandeur  as  well  as  touching 
loveliness  in  the  view.  Pisgah  and  surrounding  peaks 
towering  skyward — the  summit  covered  with  vapor 
that  glowed  with  gorgeous  colors,  like  a  drapery  of 
scarlet  and  gold — the  vast  mass  played  on  by  the  mel- 
low purple  and  violet  tints  peculiar  to  lofty  mount- 
ains— the  delicate  azure  mingling  with  fairy  lights  of 
golden  violet — all  softened  into  harmony  by  an  atmos- 
phere so  transparent,  so  Claude-like  in  its  purity,  that 
it  seemed  the  movement  of  a  bird  could  be  discerned 
at  a  distance  of  forty  or  fifty  miles !  Miss  Legare  here 
realized,  for  the  first  time,  what  few  out  of  Italy  can 
realize,  the  naturalness  of  Claude's  landscapes;  the 
exquisite  art  of  his  tmequaled  coloring,  which  gives 
to  his  delineations  of  Alpine  scenery  so  wonderful  an 
effect. 

Miss  Legare's  intense  enjoyment  of  the  beauties  of 
nature  in  this  favored  region  during  a  three  months' 
residence  gave  her  an  invincible  repugnance  to  the 
work  of  copying  the  productions  of  any  human  artist. 
She  always  painted  in  oil ;  and,  having  brought  no  ma- 
terials with  her,  could  not  transfer  to  her  sketches  the 
colors  she  so  admired  while  on  the  spot.  But  memory 
had  faithfully  treasured  these  delicious  pictures,  and 
on  her  return  to  Charleston  she  lost  no  time  in  putting 
them  on  canvas.  "  A  Yiew  on  the  Suwannee,"  now  in 
possession  of  the  widow  of  Colonel  Cogdell,  was  pro- 


MARY   SW1NTOX   LEGARE.  809 

nounced  by  him  a  master-piece.  Another  view  on  the 
French  Broad,  illustrating  the  distinguishing  charac- 
teristics of  the  scenery  of  that  river,  was  purchased  in 
1834  by  the  proprietors  of  the  Art  Union  in  New 
York.  The  first  scene  that  had  so  struck  Miss  Le- 
gare  was  painted  on  too  large  a  scale.  It  was,  how- 
ever, much  admired;  and  the  same  subject,  repre- 
sented in  smaller  compass,  is  esteemed  a  finer  pic- 
ture. 

In  Miss  Legare's  landscapes  she  gives  to  her  color- 
ing and  combinations  as  much  idealizing  as  truth  to 
nature  will  admit.  An  artist,  who  was  delighted  both 
with  her  music  and  her  painting,  observed  of  the  latter 
to  her  brother  Hugh,  "It  is  natural,  but  more  beau- 
tiful than  nature;  it  is  poetical."  Another,  when 
Hugh  remarked  that  she  must  go  to  Italy,  replied, 
"No,  your  sister  studies  our  own  wild  nature — rich, 
romantic,  glowing  under  a  tropical  sun,  luxuriant 
when  touched  with  frost ;  if  she  go  to  Italy,  or  study 
the  old  landscape-painters,  she  may  give  a  finer  finish, 
but  it  will  be  artificial."  These  artistic  criticisms  gave 
her  encouragement;  and  when  she  repeated  to  Mr. 
Cogdell  what  was  said  in  praise  of  her  works,  he 
would  say,  triumphantly,  "I  told  you  so,  but  you 
would  not  believe  me  I" 

Her  rich  foregrounds,  transparent  water,  and  distant 
mountains,  as  well  as  her  skies  and  foliage,  have  been 
highly  praised  by  Sully  and  other  eminent  artists. 
She  owed  to  Mr.  Cogdell  her  introduction  to  the  sci- 
ence of  perspective,  having  been  accustomed  in  early 
efforts  to  be  guided  by  the  eye  alone.  A  knowledge 
of  anatomy  was  of  use,  as  she  always  introduced  fig- 
ures into  her  landscapes,  painted  with  fidelity  and 
spirit.  She  excels,  besides,  in  the  delineation  of  ani- 


310  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

mals,  wild  and  domestic,  especially  dogs,  cows,  and 
sheep.  A  Spanish  pointer,  painted  nearly  of  life  size, 
was  so  perfect  in  anatomy  that  Dr.  Sewell  of  Wash- 
ington pronounced  it  a  study  for  a  student  of  that 
branch.  "  The  Hounds  of  St.  Bernard"  is  an  admira- 
ble painting.  The  piteous,  appealing  expression  in 
the  face  of  one  that  is  represented  howling  for  aid 
struck  even  every  child  who  saw  it.  A  little  girl  ex- 
claimed, "  How  sorry  that  dog  is !  he  is  afraid  the  peo- 
ple won't  come." 

Besides  animals,  Miss  Legare  has  painted  portraits ; 
but  this  branch  never  enlisted  her  enthusiasm — that 
was  for  landscapes. 

On  the  appointment  of  her  brother  as  a  member  of 
President  Tyler's  cabinet  in  1841,  Miss  Legare  accom- 
panied him  to  Washington.  Her  life  of  calm  enjoy- 
ment was  soon  disturbed  by  sorrow.  She  was  bereaved 
of  mother,  sister,  and  brother  within  the  space  of  a  year. 
She  had  long  cherished  a  purpose  of  visiting  the  West- 
ern country,  and  in  June,  1849,  went  to  Iowa.  Finding 
the  country  very  productive  and  well  suited  to  farm- 
ing purposes,  she  sent  for  some  of  the  children  of  her 
deceased  sister.  They  came  with  their  families  to  the 
new  home,  and  formed  a  colony  of  twenty-one  per- 
sons. The  scenery  in  Iowa,  though  often  beautiful,  is 
tame  compared  to  the  mountainous  country  of  the  At- 
lantic states.  Green  fields,  luxuriant  woods,  flower- 
bordered  streams,  and  groves  carpeted  with  wild 
grass,  forming  a  charming  variety  of  landscape,  aro 
presented ;  but  there  are  few  scenes  that  startle  with 
their  magnificence  or  grandeur.  Miss  Legare  found, 
in  the  new  cares  that  surrounded  her,  and  the  habits 
of  life  so  different  from  those  to  which  she  had  been 
accustomed,  such  a  pressure  of  occupation,  that  her 


MARY  SWINTON   LEGARE.  311 

beloved  art  was  for  a  time  abandoned.  The  Western 
housekeeper  usually  finds  little  time  for  the  pleasures 
of  the  imagination ;  but  she  was  not  one  to  forget  the 
best  interests  of  others,  particularly  of  her  own  sex. 
She  established  an  institution  called  "  Legare  College," 
for  the  liberal  education  of  women,  at  West  Point,  in 
Lee  County,  Iowa.  Her  talents  and  taste,  her  varied 
and  uncommon  learning  and  energy,  as  well  as  her 
means,  were  devoted  to  the  support  of  this  institution ; 
but  its  aim  was  too  far  in  advance  of  the  age  in  Iowa, 
or,  rather,  its  operations  were  impeded  by  that  utilita- 
rian spirit  which  has  set  its  heavy,  ungainly  foot  on 
every  high  aspiration  in  this  country,  and  has  pre- 
vented the  progress  of  woman  toward  improvement 
that  might  enlarge  her  sphere  of  usefulness. 

A  writer  who  is  intimately  acquainted  with  Miss 
Legare — now  Mrs.  Bullen — thus  speaks  of  her  accom- 
plishments : 

"  The  literature  of  the  world,  its  science  and  its  art, 
are  with  her  as  household  things.  They  flow  from 
her  eloquent  tongue  as  music  from  the  harp  of  the 
minstrel.  ISTo  pent-up  Utica  confines  her  powers — no 
Aztec  theory  of  woman  cripples  her  labors,  or  impov- 
erishes her  mind  or  her  policy.  A  Mississippi  feeling, 
and  theory,  and  action  actuate  her,  and  we  may  all 
look  for  corresponding  results."  Her  influence  in  the 
community  where  she  resides  has  directed  attention 
to  both  art  and  literature. 

Mrs.  Bullen  intends  resuming  the  pencil  she  has  for 
years  almost  entirely  laid  aside.  She  has  completed 
a  design  for  a  painting  to  be  called  "  The  Squatter's 
Home."  It  shows  a  wagon  under  the  shade  of  a 
Western  group  of  tall  trees,  which  serves  for  the  sleep- 
ing-place of  the  emigrant  family.  The  mother  is 


a  12  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

washing  beside  a  stream ;  the  children  are  gathering 
strawberries. 

HEBMINIE  DASSEL. 

Mrs.  Dassel  was  a  native,  of  Konigsberg,  Prussia. 
Her  father's  name  was  Borchard ;  he  was  a  banker, 
and  at  one  time  a  man  of  fortune,  which  enabled  him 
to  secure  to  his  children  an  excellent  education.  He 
lost  his  property  in  1839,  in  consequence  of  financial 
troubles  in  America ;  the  liquidation  of  his  affairs  re- 
duced his  possessions  to  a  small  farm,  depriving  his 
family  of  teachers,  servants,  horses  and  carriages,  and 
all  the  comforts  which  they  had  enjoyed.  Upon  the 
elder  children  devolved  the  duties  of  housekeeping, 
and  the  cultivation  of  the  farm  to  some  extent,  as  well 
as  the  instruction  of  the  younger  members  of  the  fam- 
ily. At  this  time  Herminie  devoted  herself  to  the  art 
of  painting  as  a  profession,  hoping  to  derive  from  it  a 
support  for  herself  and  family.  She  would  attend  to 
her  household  duties  in  the  morning,  and  then,  with 
port-folio  in  hand,  wander  off  over  the  dusty  or  muddy 
road  to  the  city,  and  again  return  to  attend  to  the 
flowers  and  cabbages,  and  the  making  of  cheese  and 
butter.  She  soon  had  the  satisfaction  of  receiving  a 
commission  for  a  full-sized  portrait  of  a  clergyman ; 
this  she  painted  in  the  church,  with  her  model  on  the 
altar,  the  country  folk  standing  about,  astonished  and 
wondering  that  such  a  tiny  little  girl  could  accomplish 
such  a  marvel. 

She  soon  went  to  Dlisseldorf,  attracted  thither  by 
the  pictures  of  Sohn,  which  she  saw  in  an  exhibition 
in  her  native  city.  She  studied  with  this  artist  four 
years,  supporting  herself  entirely  by  her  own  exer- 
tions. Her  pictures  found  ready  sale,  consisting  of 


HERMINIE  DASSEL.  313 

such  subjects  as  ''Children  in  the  "Wood,"  "Peasant 
Girls  in  a  Vineyard,"  "  Children  going  to  the  Pasture 
with  Goats,"  etc. 

After  her  return  home  she  applied  herself  again  to 
portrait-painting,  in  order  to  obtain  money  sufficient 
for  a  tour  to  Italy,  which  was  the  great  end  of  her 
ambition.  She  was  fortunate  enough  to  be  able  to 
accumulate  in  one  year  a  thousand  dollars.  Out  of 
this  sum  she  furnished  her  brother  with  an  amount 
large  enough  to  secure  his  promotion  to  a  doctor's  de- 
gree, as  she  wanted  to  have  him  accompany  her  as  a 
traveling  companion. 

A  journey  to  Italy  was  much  opposed  by  all  her 
relatives ;  a  girl  so  young,  fresh,  and  diminutive  could 
not  protect  herself;  she  would  inevitably  encounter 
serious  misfortunes.  But  her  mind  was  made  up ;  she 
packed  her  things,  took  leave  of  her  friends,  and  one 
morning  started  off  on  the  way  to  Yienna,  directing 
her  brother  to  follow  her.  She  was  never  in  want  of 
friends ;  every  where  persons  took  an  interest  in  her ; 
without  money  one  day,  it  was  sure  to  come  on  the 
next ;  and  her  faith  was  never  shaken  by  any  accident 
or  hardship.  In  Yienna  she  began  her  studies,  seek- 
ing models  in  the  streets,  and  taking  them  to  her 
room.  From  Yienna  she  passed  into  Italy.  Of  her 
studious  life  in  Italy  many  sketches  bear  witness. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  revolution  in  1848  obliged 
Herminie  to  leave  Italy,  and  as  the  route  to  Germany 
was  unsafe,  and  she  feared  becoming  a  burden  to  her 
friends,  she  resolved  to  go  to  the  United  States.  An 
opportunity  presented  itself  to  travel  in  company  with 
a  family  in  whose  house  she  lived  after  her  brother 
had  been  called  home  by  the  government.  She  rolled 
up  her  sketches,  put  them  in  a  tin  box,  and  repaired 

O 


WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

to  Leghorn.  "When  about  to  pay  her  passage,  the 
draft  she  presented  was  refused.  She  sat  weeping 
over  the  disappointment,  with  letters  before  her  from 
friends  in  Kome  and  Germany,  imploring  her  to  aban- 
don this  suicidal  plan  of  emigration;  representing 
strongly  the  dangers  of  the  journey,  the  hardships  she 
would  encounter  in  a  foreign  land,  without  money 
and  without  friends.  She  came  down  to  supper.  A 
traveler  just  arrived,  observing  her  eyes  red  with 
weeping,  was  led  to  show  an  interest  in  her ;  she  re- 
lated her  troubles,  upon  which  the  stranger  examined 
the  draft,  and,  finding  it  good,  gave  her  the  cash  for 
it.  This  gentleman  was  an  Italian,  and  she  continued 
in  correspondence  with  him.  The  next  day  she  was 
on  board  a  vessel  bound  for  this  country. 

She  arrived  in  February,  1849.  The  only  letter  of 
introduction  she  brought"  was  to  Mr.  Hagedorn,  of 
Philadelphia,  in  whom  she  subsequently  found  a  friend 
and  protector.  She  landed  in  New  York,  and  at  once 
began  to  paint.  Her  first  pictures,  representations  of 
Italian  life,  exhibited  in  the  Art  Union,  were  much 
admired,  and  some  of  them  were  purchased  by  that 
institution.  She  found  no  difficulty  in  making  friends. 

Five  months  after  her  arrival  she  married  Mr.  Das- 
sel.  After  her  marriage  she  led  a  happy  life,  with 
cares  and  sorrows  incidental  to  the  care  of  a  family, 
and  to  an  arduous  profession.  She  triumphed  over 
all,  however,  and  realized  all  the  comforts  which  be- 
long to  success. 

Mrs.  Dassel  was  most  successful  in  portraits  in  oil 
of  children  and  pastel-portraits.  Her  painting  of 
"Effie  Deans"  attracted  much  attention.  Her  'latest 
works  are  copies  of  Steinbruck's  "Fairies"  and  the 
"  Othello"  in  the  Diisseldorf  Gallery,  which  are  unu- 


JANE   STUAKT.  315 

suallj  successful  works  of  this  class.  She  made  steady 
progress  in  her  art,  and  would  have  doubtless  attained 
a  prominent  position  had  she  lived  to  develop  her 
powers  by  practice  and  study. 

"We  should  not  be  doing  justice  to  this  noble  wom- 
an not  to  allude  to  the  social  virtues  which  endeared 
her  to  so  many  friends.  With  nothing  to  rely  upon 
but  her  own  exertions,  with  serious  illness  in  her  fam- 
ily, she  was  never  so  poor  in  time  or  money  as  not 
to  interest  herself  in  behalf  of  others  more  unfortunate 
than  herself.  Countless  instances  are  known  of  her 
serviceable  kind-heartedness.  She  exerted  herself  at 
the  time  of  the  dreadful  shipwreck  of  the  Helena 
Sloman,  and  obtained  by  personal  efforts,  in  a  few 
days,  the  sum  of  seven  hundred  dollars ;  and  her  min- 
istrations among  the  poor  were  constant  during  the 
severe  winter  of  1853.  She  has,  it  is  true,  many  peers 
in  similar  acts  of  benevolence,  but  few  who  practiced 
deeds  of  this  kind  in  a  position  so  little  calculated  to 
develop  them. 

Mrs.  Dassel  died  on  the  7th  December,  1857,  and 
was  buried  in  Greenwood. 

Jane  Stuart  was  the  youngest  child  of  Gilbert  Stu- 
art, the  eminent  portrait-painter.  Like  many  of  her 
sisters  in  art,  she  inherited  the  genius  she  discovered 
in  early  life ;  but  it  was  not  till  after  her  father's  death 
that  the  talent  she  had  shown  found  development  in 
the  practice  of  art.  She  has  resided  for  a  long  time 
at  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  ce- 
lebrity her  talents  have  acquired. 

Mrs.  Hildreth  of  Boston  deserves  mention,  especial- 
ly for  her  portraits  of  children  in  crayon.  Miss  May 
painted  landscapes  in  Allston's  style.  Mrs.  Orvis  has 
been  mentioned  as  a  flower-painter  of  remarkable 


316  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

skill.  Hoyt  remarked  that  he  knew  nothing  better 
in  coloring  than  her  autumn  leaves  and  wild  flowers. 
In  this  style,  Mrs.  Badger,  of  New  York,  has  acquired 
reputation  by  her  book  of  "  The  Wild  Flowers  of 
America,"  published  in  1859.  The  drawings  were  all 
made  and  colored  from  nature  by  herself. 

Mrs.  Hawthorne  of  Boston  has  painted  many  beau- 
tiful pieces.  An  "Edymion,"  which  was  greatly  ad- 
mired, she  presented  to  Mr.  Ernerson.  She  also  mod- 
eled the  head  of  Laura  Bridgman.  Mrs.  Hill  is  a 
highly-successful  miniature-painter. 

Mrs.  Greatorex  is  a  landscape-painter  of  merit,  and 
is  rapidly  acquiring  distinction.  She  has  a  deep  love 
of  wild  mountain  and  lake  scenery,  dark  woods,  and 
rushing  waters ;  and  her  productions  are  marked  by 
the  vigor  of  tone  and  dashing,  impetuous  freedom  of 
touch  especially  adapted  to  that  kind  of  subjects. 
This  felicitous  boldness  she  has  in  a  remarkable  de- 
gree, and  her  works  are  marked  by  truthfulness  as 
well  as  strength.  She  has  painted  many  pieces  of  ro- 
mantic scenery  in  Scotland  and  Ireland.  Her  amia- 
ble character,  her  ready  sympathy  and  benevolence, 
have  interested  many  friends  in  her  success. 

Mrs.  George  Woodman,  the  eldest  daughter  of  Mr. 
Durand,  has  painted  some  excellent  landscapes ;  also 
Mrs.  Euggles.  Miss  Gove's  crayon  heads  have  been 
much  noticed  and  admired.  Miss  Caroline  May's 
landscapes  have  proved  her  claim  to  the  double 
wreath  of  artist  and  authoress.  Miss  Granbury's 
flowers  have  attracted  attention  in  the  Academy  ex- 
hibitions. Some  pretty  interior  scenes  were  in  the 
exhibition  of  1859,  painted  by  Miss  Juliana  Oakley. 
It  is  necessary  to  omit  many  names  of  artists  who 
have  not  yet  had  experience  enough  to  constrain  pub- 
lic acknowledgment  of  the  genius  they  possess. 


LILY  M.  SPENCER.  817 


.  CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 

MRS.  LILT  SPENCEB. — Early  Display  of  Talent. — Removal  to  New 
York. — To  Ohio. — Out-door  Life. — Chase  of  a  Deer. — Encounter 
with  the  Hog. — Lifting  a  Log. — Sketch  on  her  bedroom  Walls. — 
Encouragement. — Curiosity  to  see  her  Pictures. — Her  Studies. — 
Removal  to  Cincinnati. — Jealousy  of  Artists. — Lord  Morpeth. — 
Lily's  Marriage. — Return  to  New  York. — Studies. — Her  Paint- 
ings. —  Kitchen  Scenes.  —  Success  and  Fame.  —  Her  Home  and 
Studio.  —  Louisa  Lander.  —  Inheritance  of  Talent.  —  Passion  for 
Art. — Development  of  Taste  for  Sculpture. — Abode  in  Rome. — 
Crawford's  Pupil. — Her  Productions. — "Virginia  Dare." — Other 
Sculptures.  —  Late  Works.  —  Mary  Weston.  —  Childish  Love  of 
Beauty  and  Art. — Devices  to  supply  the  Want  of  Facilities. — Stud- 
ies.— Departure  from  Home. — Is  taken  back. — Perseverance  amid 
Difficulties. — Journey  to  New  York. — Sees  an  Artist  work. — Finds 
Friends. — Visit  to  Hartford. — Return  to  New  York  for  Lessons. — 
Marriage. — Her  Paintings. — Miss  Freeman. — Variously  gifted. — 
Miss  Dupre'. — The  Misses  Withers. — Mrs.  Cheves. — Mrs.  Hanna. 

LILY  M.  SPENCER. 

MRS.  SPENCER'S  high  position  among  American  art- 
ists is  universally  recognized  in  the  profession.  In 
her  peculiar  style,  her  executive  talent  is  probably 
unsurpassed  in  the  country.  She  has  encountered 
many  difficulties  in  her  path  to  success,  and  a  glance 
at  her  history  will  not  be  without  encouragement  to 
those  who  possess  a  portion  of  her  energy  and  perse- 
verance. 

Her  parents,  whose  name  is  Martin,  were  born  in 
France,  but  removed  to  England  soon  after  their  mar- 
riage. They  were  persons  of  education,  refinement, 
and  good  social  standing.  Mr.  Martin  taught  French 


318  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

in  academies  in  Plymouth  and  Exeter,  and  gave  lec- 
tures at  his  own  house  on  scientific  subjects,  especially 
optics  and  chemistry.  Mrs.  Martin  at  one  time  gave 
instruction  in  a  ladies'  seminary  in  London.  Lily 
owed  all  her  proficiency  to  her  parents' judicious  train- 
ing, and  never  went  to  a  school.  Her  talent  for  draw- 
ing began  early  to  exhibit  itself.  One  day,  when  she 
was  about  five  years  old,  she  got  at  some  diagrams  her 
father  had  prepared  for  a  lecture  on  optics,  and  drew 
an  eye  so  correctly  that  her  turn  for  art  was  at  once 
perceived. 

She  was  the  eldest  of  four  children,  and  was  not  six 
years  of  age  when  her  parents  removed  to  New  York, 
where  Mr.  Martin  was  induced,  by  Dr.  Hosack  and 
others,  to  open  an  academy.  Mr.  John  Van  Buren  was 
one  of  his  pupils.  Lily's  drawings  were  much  covet- 
ed by  the  little  scholars,  who  begged  them  from  her, 
and  gave  in  return  the  most  flattering  expressions  of 
admiration. 

When  between  eight  and  nine,  she  was  taken  to  the 
old  Academy  of  Design.  There  she  selected  the  "  Ecce 
Homo,"  as  a  special  subject  for  imitation.  The  girl- 
pupils  laughed  at  her  taste,  and  Lily,  abashed,  burst 
into  tears.  Mr.  Dunlap,  then  a  teacher,  came  and  ask- 
ed what  was  the  matter.  When  informed,  he  reproved 
the  girls,  and  predicted  that  the  young  stranger  would 
be  remembered  when  they  were  all  forgotten. 

Her  power  of  copying  whatever  pleased  her  child- 
ish fancy  increased,  though  she  did  not  then  appreci- 
ate the  necessity  of  a  patient  study  of  the  elementary 
principles  of  art.  Her  health  was  at  this  time  so  del- 
icate that  her  parents  feared  she  would  not  live  to 
reach  maturity.  The  desire  to  afford  her  the  advant- 
age of  country  air  and  exercise,  with  the  want  of  very 


LILY   M.  SPENCER.  319 

attractive  prospects  for  their  enterprise  in  New  York, 
determined  them  to  go  to  the  West.  They  purchased 
a  farm  in  Ohio,  a  few  miles  from  Marietta^  where  they 
soon  had  a  picturesque  Swiss  cottage,  with  a  beautiful 
garden,  and  a  mineral  closet  filled  with  the  presents 
of  Mr.  Martin's  former  pupils. 

Lily  was  enchanted  with  the  change  from  a  city  life, 
and  with  the  liberty  she  enjoyed  of  roaming  at  will 
through  woods  and  fields,  for,  her  health  being  the 
paramount  object,  no  restraint  was  placed  on  the  child. 
Her  time  was  passed  in  working  in  her  garden,  play- 
ing and  racing  with  other  children,  hunting  for  insects, 
shells,  and  minerals,  often  wet  up  to  the  waist  in  the 
search,  while  her  drawing  was  forgotten.  Thus  con- 
stantly, like  Eosa  Bonheur,  in  the  open  air,  she  rapid- 
ly regained  strength  and  health.  One  day,  when  about 
thirteen  years  old,  she  was  walking  in  the  woods  with 
her  father.  A  deer,  frightened  from  his  covert,  dashed 
by  them  to  leap  a  fence.  Lily  wanted  a  pet,  and  in- 
stantly ran  after  the  animal.  As  he  sprang  over  the 
fence  she  caught  his  hind  legs  and  clung  to  them, 
while  her  father's  dog  throttled  the  captive.  Some 
men  came  up  directly,  and,  seeing  the  girl  with  her 
face  covered  with  blood,  killed  the  deer,  notwithstand- 
ing her  entreaties  that  he  might  be  spared. 

On  another  occasion  they  were  killing  hogs  at  Mr. 
Martin's  place.  A  powerful  young  porker  fled  foam- 
ing and  champing  from  the  slayers  of  his  brethren, 
and  got  over  a  fence  into  the  orchard.  Lily  ran  to 
stop  his  flight,  and  the  desperate  animal  made  at  her. 
She  tried  to  get  a  stick  to  defend  herself,  but  her  feet 
slipped  on  the  apples  that  strewed  the  ground,  and 
she  fell,  in  the  very  gripe  of  the  hog.  The  maddened 
creature  might  have  injured  her  fatally,  but  her  faith- 


820.  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

fill  dog  sprang  upon  him,  and  diverted  his  rage  to  an- 
other enemy.  Lily  saw  his  teeth  buried  in  the  poor 
dog's  shoulder,  and,  resolved  not  to  abandon  her  de- 
liverer, struck  the  hog  a  violent  blow  and  ran;  the 
foe,  still  held  by  the  dog,  in  swift  pursuit.  She  was 
overtaken  close  to  a  drain,  into  which  the  three  com- 
batants tumbled  together.  At  this  juncture  the  men 
came  running  to  the  spot  with  three  or  four  dogs,  and 
rescued  both  her  and  her  preserver,  that  to  the  last 
would  not  relinquish  his  hold  of  the  porker.  Lily's 
first  care  was  to  pull  into  place  the  poor  dog's  dislo- 
cated shoulder. 

An  illustration  of  her  impulsive  nature,  and  readi- 
ness to  give  assistance  where  it  was  needed,  is  an  inci- 
dent that  occurred  a  few  months  later.  Six  or  seven 
men  were  burning  logs  in  a  field.  She  saw  them  from 
the  house  making  signals  that  they  wanted  one  more 
hand  to  lift  a  log.  Seizing  a  crowbar,  the  young  girl 
ran  to  the  spot,  placed  it  under  the  log,  and  helped  to 
raise  it  to  the  burning  pile. 

Her  love  of  sketching  soon  began  to  revive.  In  her 
fourteenth  year  she  took  a  fancy  to  see  the  effect  of  a 
new  style  of  costume  which  she  thought  would  be 
very  becoming  to  herself.  She  drew  a  lady's  figure, 
thus  attired,  with  black  crayons  and  coarse  chalk,  on 
the  wall  of  her  bedroom.  Pleased  with  her  creation, 
it  occurred  to  her  that  the  lady  ought  to  be  attended 
by  admiring  beaux,  and  she  added  the  figures  of  two 
gentlemen.  The  group  was  delineated  one  day  when 
the  other  members  of  her  family  were  absent,  and, 
fearing  that  her  mother  would  be  displeased  at  her 
for  daubing  the  walls,  she  hung  her  dresses  over  the 
sketch,  so  as  to  screen  it  from  observation. 

The  next  day  her  young  brothers  were  playing  ball 


LILY   M.  SPENCER.  321 

in  her  room,  and  chanced  to  discover  the  group  on 
the  wall.  Full  of  boyish  mischief,  they  decided  that 
the  richly-dressed  lady  would  make  a  fine  target,  and, 
in  spite  of  their  sister's  remonstrances,  they  commenced 
throwing  their  balls  at  her.  Lily,  in  great  distress  at 
the  menaced  destruction  of  her  work,  complained  to 
her  mother ;  and  instead  of  being  reprimanded  for  de- 
facing the  wall,  was  told  to  go  on  with  her  sketch, 
while  the  boys  were  reproved,  and  forbidden  to  enter 
her  room.  Encouraged  by  the  praise  she  received, 
Lily  worked  on  diligently.  She  drew  a  colonnade 
behind  her  figures,  then  added  other  groups,  repre- 
senting persons  enjoying  themselves  at  a  place  of  fash- 
ionable amusement.  The  background  was  a  land- 
scape of  hill  and  valley,  rock  and  sea.  This  picture 
being  much  admired,  she  went  on  covering  the  walls 
of  her  room  from  floor  to  ceiling  with  the  creations 
of  her  romantic  imagination.  Columns  and  statues, 
fountains  and  grottoes,  appeared  in  her  scenes  of  lux- 
ury and  magnificence;  and  her  landscapes  were  as 
charming  as  the  forms  with  which  she  enlivened  them. 
In  every  panel  was  a  distinct  picture.  All  her  leisure 
hours,  after  milking  the  cows  and  hoeing  the  corn, 
were  devoted  to  this  amusement.  It  was  true  of  her, 
as  Halleck  says  it  was  doubtful  of  his  "Wyoming  maid- 
en, that  she  worked  in  the  field  "  with  Shakspeare's 
volume  in  her  bosom  borne ;"  with  Sismondi  also,  and 
volumes  of  history  from  her  father's  splendid  library. 
The  farmers  in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen  of  Marietta,  came  to  see  the  curious 
sketches,  both  on  the  walls  and  on  canvas,  of  which 
they  had  heard.  Saturday  afternoons  were  appointed 
for  the  reception  of  visitors.  The  fame  of  Lily's  tal- 
ents began  to  spread  rapidly,  and  she  was  mentioned 

02 


322  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

with  praise  in  several  newspaper  notices.  At  her  fa- 
ther's persuasion  she  tried  to  study  perspective  and 
anatomy,  but  it  was  more  agreeable  to  her  impetuous 
nature  to  sketch  from  her  own  glowing  fancy,  than  to 
pore  over  the  dry  bones  and  plates  of  different  parts 
of  the  human  frame.  In  coloring,  also,  she  would 
trust  to  her  intuitive  perceptions  rather  than  to  a  reg- 
ular course  of  study.  Her  father  procured  her  mus- 
lin for  her  experiments,  and,  after  covering  many 
yards,  she  became  fully  aware  of  her  own  deficiencies, 
which  she  resolved  to  conquer.  Her  unwillingness  to 
be  taught  arose  from  the  self-reliance  of  an  independ- 
ent character,  and  not  from  an  inflated  idea  of  her  own 
acquirements. 

Her  parents  became  more  and  more  solicitous  to 
give  her  all  the  advantages  they  could  procure ;  and 
a  letter  from  a  wealthy  gentleman  of  Cincinnati,  de- 
scribing the  opportunities  that  would  be  offered  for 
studying  in  that  city,  determined  them  to  leave  the 
farm  and  remove  thither. 

Miss  Martin's  pictures  were  exhibited  in  Cincinnati, 
and  attracted  the  attention  of  connoisseurs.  They 
were  large,  as  her  figures  of  life  size  best  enlisted  her 
own  sympathies.  Her  battle  with  the  world  now 
commenced  in  earnest.  The  jealousy  of  rival  artists 
was  awakened  by  the  certainty  that  a  rising  genius 
had  come  among  them.  Flippant  critics  pleased  oth- 
ers and  their  own  vanity  by  decrying  her  productions. 
But  she  continued  to  paint,  and  sometimes  had  good 
fortune  in  disposing  of  her  pictures,  practicing  her  art 
with  undiminished  industry  and  enthusiasm,  even 
while  discouraged  by  the  want  of  patronage. 

On  one  occasion  she  was  in  company  with  Lord 
Morpeth.  Addressing  him  as  "  Mr.  Morpeth,"  she 


LILY   M.  SPENCER.  823 

was  reminded  apart  by  her  father  that  she  ought  to 
say  "my  lord."  "No,  indeed,"  replied  the  young 
lady ;  "  I  never  saw  a  man  I  would  call '  my  lord'  yet." 

Miss  Martin  was  married  in  Cincinnati  to  Mr.  Spen- 
cer. When  surrounded  by  the  cares  of  a  young  fam- 
ily she  continued  to  paint,  but  her  style  changed.  At 
first  her  pictures  had  been  poetical  and  semi-allegorical. 
She  liked  to  embody  some  suggestive  idea,  or  a  whole 
history,  in  a  group,  as  in  several  of  her  scenes  from 
Shakspeare.  Her  "  Water  Sprite,"  representing  the 
escape  of  Spring  from  Winter,  is  of  this  class.  After 
she  became  a  mother,  her  taste  was  more  for  bits  of 
domestic  life,  and  she  found  matter-of-fact  pictures 
more  salable  than  her  cherished  ideals. 

After  living  some  seven  years  in  Cincinnati,  Mrs. 
Spencer  returned  with  her  family  to  New  York,  stop- 
ping a  year  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  she  painted 
portraits  and  fancy -pieces.  In  New  York  she  visited 
the  Academy  for  the  purpose  of  improving  herself  by 
drawing  after  the  antique,  often  going  in  the  evening, 
as  her  labors  and  cares  absorbed  her  during  the  day, 
and  sitting  among  the  male  art-students.  One,  who 
noticed  the  quiet,  modest-looking  girl  at  work,  under- 
took to  point  out  the  best  models,  but  soon  discovered 
he  was  trying  to  teach  his  superior.  She  was  made  a 
member  of  the  Academy.  Her  "May  Queen"  and 
"Choose  Between"  were  much  praised  in  the  Art 
Union  Exhibition.  "  The  Jolly  Washerwoman,"  sold 
by  that  institution,  became  celebrated.  It  was  paint- 
ed impromptu  from  a  scene  in  the  artist's  own  kitch- 
en. A  connoisseur  was  so  much  pleased  with  one  of 
her  pictures  that  he  insisted  on  paying  more  than  was 
asked  for  it. 

"  The  Flower  Girl"  and  "  Domestic  Felicity,"  ex- 


324  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

hibited  in  Philadelphia,  elicited  general  admiration, 
and  proved  Mrs.  Spencer's  possession  of  the  highest 
order  of  talent.  A  connoisseur  remarked  that  the 
latter  picture  excelled  any  other  production  that  had 
appeared  in  the  gallery  since  its  first  opening.  Its 
vigor  and  freshness  were  as  remarkable  as  its  rich  and 
harmonious  coloring,  while  the  drawing  and  composi- 
tion were  pronounced  admirable.  It  represented  a 
mother  and  father  bending  over  their  sleeping  chil- 
dren, and  several  artists  observed  that  they  knew  of 
no  one  who  could  surpass  the  painting  of  the  mother's 
hand.  The  managers  of  the  Art  Union  in  Philadel- 
phia were  so  delighted  with  this  picture  that  a  few 
of  their  number  privately  subscribed  to  purchase  it, 
the  rules  not  allowing  directors  to  expend  the  funds 
except  for  paintings  selected  by  the  prizeholders.  It 
was  afterward  sold  to  an  association  in  the  "West.  The 
Western  Art  Union  purchased  several  of  Mrs.  Spen- 
cer's works,  and  had  one  engraved  for  their  annual 
presentation  plate. 

Mrs.  Spencer  found  her  kitchen  scenes  so  popular 
that  she  adopted  that  comic,  familiar  style  in  many  of 
her  paintings.  "Shake  Hands?"  represents  a  girl 
making  pastry,  and  holding  out  her  floured  hand  with 
a  humorous  smile.  This  manner  the  artist  has  been 
obliged  to  adhere  to  on  account  of  the  ready  sale  of 
such  pictures,  while  the  subjects  that  better  pleased 
her  own  taste  have  been  neglected.  Yet  she  has  con- 
trived to  introduce  a  moral  into  every  one  of  her 
comic  pieces.  "  The  Contrast"  embodies  a  touching 
story.  It  is  in  two  pictures :  one  showing  a  pamper- 
ed, petulant  little  dog,  barking  at  some  intruder  from 
his  velvet  cushion  surrounded  by  silken  draperies; 
the  other,  a  meagre,  skin-and-bone  animal,  creeping 


LILY   M.  SPENCER.  325 

through  the  pitiless  snow-storm  in  search  of  food  for 
its  young  ones.  Mrs.  Spencer  excels  in  her  pictures 
of  different  animals. 

Some  time  ago  Mrs.  Spencer  made  a  series  of  orig- 
inal designs — twenty  or  thirty — illustrative  of  scenes 
in  the  volumes  of  "  The  Women  of  the  American 
Eevolution."  All  these  have  not  yet  been  published. 
Perhaps  more  of  her  paintings  have  been  engraved 
than  of  any  American  artist.  All  are  of  her  own 
composition,  and  most  of  them  are  domestic  scenes. 
One  called  "Patty cake"  shows  a  young  mother,  with 
her  baby  on  her  lap,  teaching  it  to  clap  its  hands ;  an- 
other, "  Both  at  Play,"  represents  a  father  teasing  his 
little  girl  by  holding  an  air-balloon  just  out  of  her 
reach.  These  are  done  in  the  highly-finished  German 
style  adopted  by  Mrs.  Spencer.  She  usually  takes  her 
own  children  for  models. 

"  The  Captive"  exhibits  a  slave  in  market,  her  mas- 
ter lifting  the  veil  that  concealed  her  charms.  Its 
touching  expression  is  admirable.  "  Reading  the  Le- 
gend" shows  a  lovely  lady  listening  to  a  reading  with- 
in view  of  a  noble  castle ;  but  we  do  not  like  the  taste 
of  either  the  costume  or  the  attitude  of  the  reader. 

Mrs.  Spencer  encountered  serious  difficulties  in  New 
York  before  she  acquired  the  fame  she  now  enjoys. 
In  1858  she  purchased  a  lovely  place  in  a  retired  part 
of  Newark,  New  Jersey,  where  she  now  resides  with 
her  happy  family.  Her  studio  is  at  the  foot  of  her 
garden,  a  large  building,  with  its  walls  covered  by 
sketches,  casts,  etc.,  where  the  artist  labors  assiduous- 
ly. Visitors  from  distant  cities  come  here  to  see  her 
paintings,  and  she  usually  has  several  in  progress  at 
the  same  time.  "  The  Gossips, "  a  large  painting  de 
genre,  with  ten  figures  of  women  and  children,  has  at- 


326  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

tracted  much  attention.  The  scene  represents  the  yard 
of  a  tenement-building,  where  women  are  engaged 
in  washing,  preserving  fruit,  cooking,  and  other  sorts 
of  work.  They  have  gathered  into  a  group  to  listen 
to  some  tale  of  scandal  from  a  stranger,  with  a  basket 
of  bread;  and  the  children  are  getting  into  mischief 
the  while.  A  little  boy  has  fallen  into  the  bluing-tub 
of  clothes,  while  a  younger  girl  is  laughing  violently 
at  his  mishap ;  a  dog  has  laid  hold  of  the  meat  a  boy 
has  forgotten  to  look  after,  and  a  cat  in  the  window  is 
skimming  the  pan  of  milk.  The  peaches  in  a  basket 
in  the  foreground  look  as  if  they  might  be  picked  out 
and  eaten,  so  rich  and  fresh  is  the  coloring.  The  ef- 
fect of  light  on  one  of  the  female  figures  is  exquisitely 
beautiful.  The  whole  picture  is  highly  finished,  and 
its  merits  are  enough  to  make  a  reputation  for  any 
artist. 

Mrs.  Spencer's  pictures  may  be  seen  in  many  of  the 
shops  where  works  of  art  are  for  sale,  and  the  prints 
engraved  from  them  are  very  numerous.  She  has 
now  a  prospect  of  independence  and  success  before 
her,  and  may  achieve  triumphs  greater  than  any  she 
has  yet  accomplished. 

LOUISA  LANDER. 

This  young  lady  is  a  native  of  Salem,  Massachusetts, 
and  descended  from  some  of  the  oldest  and  most  re- 
spected families  of  that  good  old  town.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  Edward  Lander  and  Eliza  West,  whose 
father  was  claimed  as  a  relative,  while  on  a  visit  to 
London,  by  Sir  Benjamin  West. 

Mrs.  Lander's  maternal  grandfather,  Elias  Haskel 
Derby,  sent  the  first  American  ship  to  India,  giving 
the  first  impetus  to  our  commerce  with  that  country. 


LOUISA   LANDER,  327 

His  were  the  first  American  vessels  seen  at  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  and  the  Isle  of  France.  Captain  Kich- 
ard  Derby,  his  father,  was  noted  in  the  Kevolutionary 
struggle.  He  bought  and  presented  to  the  town  of 
Salem  the  cannon  which  Colonel  Leslie  attempted  to 
seize.  When  he  demanded  the  arms,  at  the  head  of 
his  regiment,  Captain  Derby's  reply  was,  "  Find  them, 
and  take  them  if  you  can;  they -will  never  be  sur- 
rendered!" and  his  courage  preserved  the  treasure. 
He  was  instrumental,  too,  in  inciting  his  fellow-towns- 
men to  the  exploit  of  raising  the  drawbridge  and  sink- 
ing the  boats — the  first  repulse  of  the  British  in  the 
commencement  of  hostilities. 

Colonel  F.  W.  Lander,  the  Pacific  Eailroad  explorer, 
is  the  brother  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch.  In  various 
branches  of  her  family  has  artistic  talent  shown  itself. 
Her  grandmother  and  her  mother  were  remarkable 
for  their  fondness  for  art,  and  gave  evidence  thereof  in 
works  of  their  own.  In  the  old  family  mansion,  where 
Louisa's  childhood  was  spent,  are  carvings  upon  the 
walls  and  over  the  lofty  doors,  designed  by  her  grand- 
mother, and  executed  under  her  directions.  Similar 
designs,  evincing  both  taste  and  skill,  decorated  the 
mahogany  furniture ;  and  the  canopies  and  coverings 
of  the  furniture  were  embroidered  by  the  lady,  ac- 
cording to  the  fashion  of  the  day,  her  own  fancy  sup- 
plying the  beautiful  designs.  It  can  hardly  be  said 
when  commenced  the  artist -life  of  the  young  girl 
brought  up  under  such  influences.  She  was,  as  a 
child,  singularly  grave  and  thoughtful;  serious  and 
reserved  at  all  times,  and  decided  in  her  judgment, 
which  was  always  according  to  the  dictates  of  sound 
sense.  A  love  of  art,  which  might  be  called  an  ardent 
passion,  possessed  her  nature  from  her  earliest  years. 


328  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

On  one  occasion — the  first  time  she  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  seeing  a  work  of  real  merit — she  stood  quiet 
and  absorbed  in  admiration.  Her  sister,  who  had  been 
pointing  out  the  peculiar  touches  of  skill,  turned  to 
ask  her  opinion,  and  saw  her  face  bathed  in  tears. 
This  was  a  surprising  demonstration  for  a  child  who 
had  been  scarcely  ever  known  to  exhibit  emotion,  and 
whose  self-control  was  so  uncommon  that  her  manner 
usually  appeared  cold.  It  seems  as  if  art  alone  could 
arouse  the  full  ardor  and  energy  of  her  spirit. 

When  a  very  little  child,  at  different  times,  she  mod- 
eled two  heads  for  broken  dolls.  One  was  made  of 
light  sealing-wax,  and  the  modeling  of  both  was  so 
wonderfully  accurate  that  her  mother  would  not  allow 
the  child  to  play  with  them,  but  kept  them  as  curios- 
ities. On  another  occasion  Louisa  brought  one  of  her 
drawings  from  school,  so  admirably  executed,  espe- 
cially in  the  face,  that  her  relatives  thought  the  touch 
a  happy  accident,  and  were  inclined  to  disbelieve  her 
assertions  that  she  had  meant  to  produce  the  very  ef- 
fect given  to  her  picture. 

After  her  talent  for  sculpture  had  been  fairly  devel- 
oped, she  resolved  on  the  devotion  of  her  life  to  that 
branch  of  art.  Her  intense  perception  and  enjoyment 
of  the  beautiful,  awakened  a  thirst  within  her  which 
could  only  be  slaked  at  the  fountain-head ;  and,  driven 
forth,  as  it  were,  by  this  longing,  she  left  her  happy 
home  in  Salem — her  circle  of  beloved  relatives  and 
congenial  friends — to  go  among  untried  scenes,  fixing 
her  abode  in  Eome.  There  she  speedily  acquired  a 
reputation  which  drew  around  her  friends  interested 
in  the  progress  and  triumph  of  genius.  She  was  a 
pupil  of  the  lamented  Crawford — the  only  one  he  ever 
consented  to  admit  into  his  studio,  for  he  had  discerned 


LOUISA   LANDER.  329 

in  her  early  efforts  the  promise  of  future  eminence. 
She  evinced,  from  the  first,  a  remarkable  power  in  por- 
traits, catching  the  most  delicate  and  subtle  shades  of 
likeness.  One  of  her  productions  is  a  bust  of  Gov- 
ernor Gore,  executed  from  two  oil  portraits ;  a  difficult 
piece  of  work,  as  the  portraits  were  not  alike,  having 
been  taken  at  different  periods  of  his  life.  The  bust 
was  pronounced  an  excellent  likeness  by  Chief  Justice 
Shaw  and  others  who  remember  the  governor.  Miss 
Lander  finished  it  in  marble  for  the  Harvard  Library. 
It  is  to  be  placed  in  Gore  Hall,  in  Cambridge. 

This  talent  for  likenesses  is  observable  in  the  first 
efforts  of  Miss  Lander.  When  very  young,  before  she 
had  attempted  modeling,  she  carved  from  an  old  ala- 
baster clock,  with  a  penknife,  several  heads  and  faces 
in  bas-relief.  These  were  noticed  by  a  friend,  who 
gave  her  a  bit  of  shell  and  some  gravers,  and  at  once, 
without  the  least  instruction,  she  carved  a  head  in 
cameo.  Likenesses  of  her  mother  and  other  friends 
were  made,  and  pronounced  very  striking.  Her  first 
modeling  was  a  bas-relief  portrait  of  her  father ;  it  was 
followed  by  a  bust  of  her  brother,  the  late  chief-justice 
of  Washington  Territory. 

Her  work  "  To-day,"  was  seen  in  ambrotype,  on 
her  arrival  in  Eome,  by  Crawford,  and  his  admiration 
of  it  perhaps  induced  him  to  receive  her  as  his  pupil. 
The  figure  is  an  emblem  of  our  youthful  country.  The 
head  is  crowned  with  a  chaplet  of  morning  glories ; 
the  drapery  is  the  American  flag,  fastened  at  the  breast 
and  the  shoulder  with  the  stars.  Its  look  forward 
typifies  progress  in  so  spirited  a  manner  that,  at  first 
sight,  one  might  be  startled  by  the  apparent  move- 
ment of  life.  A  flower  falling  from  the  hair  on  the 
neck  behind,  adds  to  this  effect  of  motion.  Power  and 


330  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

spirit  are  prominent  characteristics  of  the  work.  This, 
with  her  "Galatea,"  a  figure  full  of  grace  and  tender- 
ness, was  modeled  before  Miss  Lander  went  to  Italy. 
She  had  also  finished  a  fine  bust  of  her  father,  a  per- 
fect likeness,  and  exquisitely  chiseled  in  marble. 

After  Miss  Lander  went  to  Eome,  she  executed 
many  portrait  busts,  among  them  a  fine  one  of  Haw- 
thorne, and  a  bas-relief  of  Mountford.  A  letter  from 
Eome  described,  as  seen  in  her  studio,  "  A  charming 
statuette  of  Virginia  Dare,"  about  three  feet  in  height. 
This  child  was  the  granddaughter  of  John  White, 
governor  of  the  Colony  of  Virginia  at  the  period  of 
one  of  the  early  disastrous  expeditions  of  Sir  Walter 
Ealeigh. 

"  About  the  month  of  August,  in  1587,  Mrs.  Dare, 
daughter  of  the  governor,  was  delivered  of  a  daughter 
in  Eoanoke,  who  was  baptized  the  next  Lord's-day  by 
the  name  of  Virginia,  being  the  first  English  child 
born  in  the  country.  Before  the  close  of  August,  the 
governor,  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the  whole  col- 
ony, sailed  for  England  to  procure  supplies.  An  un- 
fortunate turn  of  affairs  at  home  prevented  another 
expedition  from  reaching  Virginia  until  1590,  when, 
upon  arrival,  it  was  found  that  the  houses  of  the  for- 
mer settlers  were  demolished,  though  still  surrounded 
by  a  palisade,  and  a  great  part  of  the  stores  was  dis- 
covered buried  in  the  ground ;  but  no  trace  was  ever 
found  of  the  unfortunate  colony.  Bancroft  says  that, 
when  the  governor  sailed  for  England,  he  left  the  in- 
fant and  her  mother  as  hostages,  and  it  is  presumed 
that  they  were  carried  into  captivity  by  the  Indians, 
as,  after  this,  European  features  could  be  traced  in  the 
Indian  lineaments. 

"  Miss  Lander  represents  her  Virginia  as  brought 


LOUISA  LANDER.  331 

up  an  Indian  princess,  displaying  in  her  erect  attitude 
and  beautiful  form  the  fearless  dignity  and  grace  that 
such  a  life  would  impart.  The  head  and  face  are  very 
fine,  exhibiting  the  thoughtfulness  and  spirituality  that 
would  naturally  be  derived  from  the  dreamy  recollec- 
tions of  her  early  life.  The  figure  is  semi-nude ;  the 
drapery,  a  light  fishing-net,  is  charmingly  conceived 
and  executed,  being  worn  like  an  Indian  blanket ;  and 
the  ornaments  are  wampum  beads.  This  design,  pos- 
sessing the  charm  of  novelty  and  historic  interest, 
shows  that  we  have  in  our  own  country  rich  subjects 
of  sculpture,  without  resorting  to  the  old  heathen  my- 
thology." 

Miss  Lander  afterward  made  a  life-size  statue  of 
Virginia  in  marble.  Her  reclining  statue  of  "Evan- 
geline"  forms  a  fine  contrast  to  this ;  "  the  one  full  of 
force  and  energy,  all  life  and  motion;  the  other  so 
still  and  tranquil  in  her  sweet,  profound  slumber.  She 
is  represented  at  the  moment  when,  worn  out  with  her 
wanderings,  she  sleeps  under  the  cedar-tree  by  the 
river-side, 

"  'For  this  poor  soul  had  wandered, 

Bleeding  and  barefooted,  over  the  shards  and  thorns  of  existence.' 

Her  deep  repose  is  not  so  much  slumbering  as  like  one 
in  a  trance.  In  the  marble  this  is  shown  exactly  by 
her  attitude,  as  though  she  had  dropped  from  utter 
weariness ;  her  drapery  hangs  heavily  about  her,  and 
still  more  heavily  falls  her  hand ;  the  whole  figure  is 
expressive  of  deep  rest — almost  painful  it  would  be 
but  for  the  beautiful  face,  lighted  up  by  ( the  thought 
in  her  heart'  that  her  lover  is  near,  and  that 

"  'Through  those  shadowy  aisles  Gabriel  had  wandered  before  her, 
Eveiy  stroke  of  the  oar  now  brings  him  nearer  and  nearer 
(Now  she  slept  beneath  the  cedar-tree). 


332  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Such  was  the  vision  Evangeline  saw  as  she  slumber'd  beneath  it ; 
Fill'd  was  her  heart  with  love,  and  the  dawn  of  an  opening  heaven 
Lighted  her  soul  in  sleep  with  the  glory  of  regions  celestial.' 

Yery  beautiful  she  is;  and,  as  I  gazed  upon  her,  I 
seemed  to  hear  the  dash  of  Gabriel's  oar,  as  he  glided 
along  behind  '  a  screen  of  palmettos,'  unseeing  and  un- 
seen, and  was  ready  to  exclaim, 

"  'Angel  of  God,  is  there  none  to  awaken  the  maiden  ?' " 

Another  work  by  Miss  Lander  is  "  Elizabeth,  the 
Exile  of  Siberia,"  a  spirited  yet  feminine.figure,  "very 
pretty  in  its  picturesque  costume — the  short  cloak, 
Kussian  boots,  and  closely -fitting  cap." 

This  gifted  young  artist  has  finished  a  statuette  of 
"  Undine."  It  is  a  drooping  figure,  with  expression 
full  of  sadness,  just  rising  from  the  fountain  to  visit 
earth  for  the  last  time.  The  base  of  the  fountain  is 
surrounded  by  shells  forming  water-jets ;  Undine  is  in 
the  central  one,  and  the  drapery  falls  from  her  hand 
into  water  as  it  drops.  She  has  also  finished  a  "Ceres 
Mourning  for  Proserpine."  The  goddess  is  leaning 
upon  a  sheaf  of  wheat ;  her  hands  and  head  are  droop- 
ing, as  if  she  were  planning  her  daughter's  escape. 
"  A  Sylph,"  just  alighted — an  airy,  floating  figure,  her 
puzzled  attention  fixed  on  a  butterfly — is  another  of 
Miss  Lander's  creations. 

MARY  WESTON. 

The  history  of  this  lady  illustrates  the  development, 
amid  unfavorable  circumstances,  of  that  self-reliant 
energy  which  often  forms  a  marked  characteristic  of 
the  natives  of  New  England.  The  spirit  of  independ- 
ence, when  joined,  as  in  her  case,  to  feminine  gentle- 
ness and  grace,  is  ennobling  to  any  woman,  and  its 
working  is  both  interesting  and  instructive. 


MARY   WESTON.  333 

Mary  Pillsbury  was  born  in  Hebron,  New  Hamp- 
shire. Her  father  was  a  Baptist  clergyman,  holding 
the  strictest  tenets  of  Calvinism.  In  her  humble  home 
among  the  mountains,  though  surrounded  by  nature's 
wild  beauty,  the  child  found  nothing  to  suggest  to  her 
an  idea  of  what  art  could  accomplish.  Nevertheless, 
she  saw  objects  with  .an  artistic  perception,  and  loved 
especially  to  study  faces.  When  taken  to  church,  she 
would  sit  gazing  at  those  around  her,  and  wishing 
that  in  some  way — of  which  as  yet  she  had  no  con- 
ception— she  could  copy  their  features.  One  day, 
when  between  seven  and  eight,  she  noticed  a  beautiful 
woman,  and,  returning  home,  wrent  quietly  to  her  fa- 
ther's study — creeping  in,  as  it  was  locked,  through 
two  panes  of  a  window,  to  which  she  climbed  by  a 
chair  on  the  bed — in  search  of  a  slate  and  pencil.  With 
this  she  began  to  make  a  sketch  of  the  face  that  had 
charmed  her.  She  made  the  oval  outline,  but  could 
not  give  the  expression  about  the  mouth  and  eyes. 
With  a  keen  sense  of  disappointment  she  relinquished 
the  hopeless  task.  But  the  artist-passion  was  awak- 
ened within  her. 

She  loved  to  read  books  relating  to  artists  better 
than  any  thing  else,  though  fond  of  study  in  general, 
and  her  partiality  for  sketching  was  indulged  when- 
ever she  had  opportunity.  Having  observed  the 
work  of  a  profile  -  cutter  who  chanced  to  come  into 
the  neighborhood,  she  persevered  in  attempts  at  por- 
traits, and  practiced  cutting  them  out  of  leaves  and 
paper.  She  had  a  beautiful  young  sister,  and  often 
prevailed  on  her  to  sit,  improving  day  by  day  in  her 
untutored  efforts,  till  at  last  she  was  able,  by  the  eye, 
to  take  a  correct  likeness. 

Her  next  achievement  was  copying  the  figures  and 


331  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

decorations  of  Indian  chiefs,  who  not  ^infrequently 
came  into  the  little  village.  A  servant  girl,  fifteen 
years  old,  who  was  employed  in  her  father's  family, 
knew  how  to  sketch  houses,  and  this  knowledge  was 
willingly  imparted  to  little  Mary.  Her  pictures, 
though  rude  in  design  and  execution,  were  in  great 
demand  among  her  schoolfellows ;  but  Mrs.  Pillsbury 
thought  the  study  of  painting  would  interfere  with 
more  important  branches,  and  that  a  thorough  English 
education  should  first  be  acquired.  The  young  girl, 
however,  could  not  be  prevented  from  watching  the 
drawing-lessons  of  other  scholars.  She  would  prac- 
tice at  home ;  and  so  earnest  was  her  application  that 
it  was  not  long  before  she  produced  a  drawing  agreed 
on  all  sides  to  be  superior  to  the  exercises  of  the  reg- 
ular pupils. 

For  the  colors  of  her  flowers  Mary  used  beet-juice, 
extract  of  bean  leaves  prepared  by  herself,  etc.,  till  the 
welcome  present  of  a  box  of  paints  made  her  inde- 
pendent of  such  contrivances.  The  romantic  scenery 
surrounding  her  home  had  now  a  new  charm.  Day 
after  day  she  would  wander  about  the  fields  and 
woods,  sketching,  and  indulging  in  visions  of  an  art- 
istic life.  "When  twelve  years  old,  one  day  she  accom- 
panied her  parents  to  Sutton,  in  New  Hampshire.  A 
protracted  meeting  was  held,  and  her  father  was  to 
preach.  Paying  little  attention  to  the  doctrines  pro- 
mulgated, as  formerly  Mary  occupied  herself  in  scan- 
ning new  faces  in  the  rural  assemblage.  Near  the 
place  of  meeting  was  the  colossal  figure  of  the  God- 
dess of  Libert}^  richly  arrayed,  and  painted  in  colors 
by  a  Free-will  Baptist  preacher.  She  obtained  a  seat 
close  to  the  window  during  one  of  the  services,  and 
carefully  studied  what  appeared  to  her  a  perfect  tri- 


MARY   WESTON.  335 

umpli  of  art.  After  she  went  home  she  produced  a 
clever  sketch  of  it.  From  this  time  goddesses  of  lib- 
erty multiplied  in  her  hands,  and  became  famous  in 
the  school  and  neighborhood.  One  of  them  was  actu- 
ally put  into  a  magazine.  So  creditable  were  they 
considered,  that  a  rather  unscrupulous  young  girl  of 
her  acquaintance  presented  one  to  her  lover  as  her 
own  work ;  and  when  he  challenged  her  to  produce 
another,  she  came  to  persuade  Mary  to  make  it  for 
her. 

Caring  little  for  th©  sports  and  pleasures  of  her  age, 
it  was  Mary's  habit  to  shut  herself  up  in  her  father's 
study,  and,  seated  upon  the  shelves,  to  read  over  and 
over  again  the  biographies  of  great  men  and  distin- 
guished women.  She  kept  in  advance  of  all  the 
school-girls  meanwhile,  and  improved  in  her  drawing 
during  the  hours  stolen  from  her  spinning-tasks  and 
the  duties  involved  in  taking  care  of  the  other  chil- 
dren. She  entered  now  on  the  reading  of  the  stand- 
ard and  classical  works  contained  in  her  father's  libra- 
ry, and  a  new  world  seemed  opening  before  her.  Am- 
bitious longings  and  dreams  broke  on  the  monotony 
of  her  lonely  life.  She  resolved  to  become  an  artist 
like  those  persons  of  whom  she  had  read,  and  com- 
pel appreciation  from  the  world.  But  the  mode  of 
accomplishing  her  wishes  perplexed  her.  She  saw 
that  it  would  be  necessary  to  leave  home  and  try  her 
fortune  among  strangers ;  but  she  loved  to  picture  the 
day  when  she  would  return,  laden  with  honors  and  a 
rich  reward  for  her  labors — when  her  family  would  be 
proud  of  her  success. 

When  about  fourteen,  she  determined  to  take  the 
first  step  toward  the  goal  she  panted  to  reach.  Se- 
cretly she  quitted  her  home,  taking  with  her  only  a 


336  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

change  of  dress,  and  set  out  to  walk  through  the  for- 
est to  Ilopkinton,  on  the  way  to  Concord,  where  she 
intended  to  take  up  her  abode  temporarily,  to  earn  a 
little  money  by  her  labor,  and  then  establish  herself 
as  an  artist.  She  walked  thirty  miles  that  day,  and 
very  late  at  night  came  to  a  small  house  in  the  coun- 
try, at  which  she  stopped,  requesting  permission  to 
warm  and  rest  herself.  The  simple  people  appeared 
surprised  to  see  so  young  a  girl  traveling  alone  and  so 
far  from  home.  They  inquired  into  the  particulars 
of  her  story  with  curious  interest,  and  earnestly  press- 
ed her  to  stay  all  night.  She  consented,  and  supper 
was  prepared  for  her,  after  which  she  went  to  sleep, 
wearied  with  the  day's  fatiguing  journey. 

On  waking  the  next  morning  a  strangely  familiar 
voice  struck  her  ear.  She  dressed  hastily,  and  went 
down  into  the  parlor,  where  she  found  her  uncle,  who 
had  come  that  far  in  search  of  her.  Both  wept  at  the 
unexpected  meeting;  but  when  she  had  recovered 
from  her  confusion,  Mary  begged  to  be  permitted  to 
go  on  to  Concord.  This  was  decidedly  refused,  and, 
reluctant  and  mortified  at  the  failure  of  her  romantic 
enterprise,  she  was  obliged  to  consent  to  be  taken  home. 

She  was  received  with  tears  and  embraces  by  her 
family,  and  no  word  of  reproach,  nor  even  a  distant 
allusion  to  her  disobedience,  followed  her  attempt  to 
escape  from  the  restraint  of  parental  authority.  The 
family  seemed  to  be  sensible  that  she  had  been  hardly 
dealt  with ;  for  the  dreams  of  youthful  hope  have  sig- 
nificance, and  nature's  bent  should  not  be  too  rudely 
thwarted.  From  this  time  more  indulgence  was  shown 
to  her  frequent  neglect  of  work  in  which  she  felt  no 
pleasure,  and  to  her  devotion  to  books.  She  engaged 
in  her  studies  more  ardently  than  ever. 


MAHY   WESTON.  337 

Mr.  Pillsbury  was  not  rich,  and  his  daughter  had  the 
prospect  of  being  ultimately  obliged  to  depend  on  her 
earnings  for  a  subsistence.  It  was  her  desire  to  enter 
as  soon  as  possible  on  the  life  whose  hardships  she 
expected  to  encounter  and  overcome.  She  wished  to 
go  beyond  the  mountains,  into  the  beautiful  world  on 
the  other  side.  To  her  imagination  the  soft  and  rose- 
ate tints  reposing  on  those  far-off  summits  were  em- 
blematic of  the  delights  in  store  for  her.  But  her  pa- 
rents opposed  her  wishes,  and  urged  her  to  remain 
with  them,  for  some  years  at  least. 

She  was  about  nineteen  when,  on  a  visit  to  Lynn, 
she  saw  a  portrait  painted  by  a  lady,  which  seized  her 
attention  amid  a  collection  of  indifferent  pictures. 
The  longing  to  be  a  painter  again  possessed  her  so 
strongly  that  she  felt  it  an  irresistible  passion.  Her 
first  plan  was  to  accompany  the  lady  to  Washington 
and  take  lessons,  but  this  scheme  was  abandoned. 
About  a  year  after  this  she  went  to  Boston.  Passing 
a  shop  window,  she  saw  a  fine  painting,  that  once  more 
enkindled  the  flame  of  artist  ambition  in  her  soul. 
Her  determination  was  formed.  With  the  sanguine 
hopes  of  youth,  she  fancied  that  a  year's  preparation 
would  enable  her  to  paint  professionally.  She  accord- 
ingly devoted  herself  to  the  practice  of  her  art  with 
that  view.  Her  friends  ridiculed  the  idea  of  her  be- 
coming an  artist  for  a  livelihood,  and  predicted  the 
failure  of  her  scheme  without  powerful  patronage. 

But  this  kind  of  opposition  no  longer  discouraged 
her,  though  she  was  much  hampered  by  the  want  of 
time.  The  winter  was  rapidly  approaching,  and  she 
felt  that  it  should  not  pass  without  some  advance  in 
her  beloved  studies.  She  now  resolved  to  go  to  some 
place  southward  where  she  could  see  an  artist  work, 

P 


338  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

and  to  paint  cheap  pictures  for  her  own  support,  living 
plainly  in  the  country  till  her  lessons  were  completed. 
It  seemed  that  she  must  either  do  this  or  die. 

Without  consulting  any  one,  with  only  twelve  dol- 
lars in  her  possession,  she  left  Boston  in  the  early 
morning  train,  leaving  her  trunk  behind,  and  taking 
only  a  basket  with  a  few  changes  of  clothes.  The  un- 
dertaking was  not  without  prayers  for  a  blessing  from 
the  Providence  who  watches  over  all  human  affairs. 
Her  father  needed  all  the  aid  she  could  give  him ;  he 
had  suffered  much,  and  sickness  in  his  family  had 
crippled  his  narrow  resources.  The  thought  of  all 
this,  and  what  she  might  do  were  she  permitted  to 
work  out  her  own  ideas,  had  tortured  Mary  and  ren- 
dered her  desperate.  In  the  ardor  of  her  determina- 
tion now,  obstacles  seemed  nothing ;  she  was  resolved 
to  succeed. 

An  old  man  who  occupied  a  seat  opposite  her  in 
the  car  noticed  her,  and  asked  many  questions.  When 
they  stopped  at  Providence,  his  evident  curiosity  an- 
noyed and  alarmed  her  so  much  that  she  ran  with  all 
her  speed  to  the  boat  bound  for  New  York.  On  the 
way  she  talked  with  the  stewardess,  and  asked  if  she 
knew  any  respectable  house  in  the  city  where  she 
could  obtain  board.  The  stewardess  was  ignorant  of 
New  York,  but  inquired  of  the  clerk,  and  he  directed 
Miss  Pillsbury  to  the  house  of  Professor  Gouraud,  a 
then  famous  dancing-master. 

On  repairing  to  this  place  she  learned  that  the  pro- 
fessor did  not  receive  boarders,  but  was  recommended 
to  look  for  a  house  in  Canal  Street.  Here  it  occurred 
to  her  to  go  to  a  milliner's  shop ;  she  knew  there  must 
be  many  girls  there,  respectable,  though  poor,  and 
thought  that  she  might  hear  of  a  lodging  through 


MARY   WESTON.  339 

some  of  them.  She  received  a  direction  to  the  house 
of  an  old  lady,  whither  she  went.  '  On  being  asked  for 
references,  she  frankly  owned  that  she  had  none,  and, 
as  the  best  explanation  she  could  offer,  related  her 
story.  The  landlady  had  heard  through  a  pious  friend 
in  Boston — Mrs.  Colby,  a  lady  well  known  for  benev- 
olence—of the  strange  girl  who  wanted  to  be  a  paint- 
er, and  she  willingly  received  the  wanderer. 

The  next  day  Miss  Pillsbury  found  out  that  an  art- 
ist lived  in  the  neighborhood,  and  went  to  him  to  see 
how  oil-colors  were  used.  She  was  allowed  to  watch 
him  while  painting  a  portrait.  Afterward  she  went 
to  Dechaux,  who  then  kept  a  small  store  for  colors; 
and,  provided  with  the  implements  of  art,  she  went  to 
work  in  earnest.  The  little  grandson  of  her  landlady 
was  her  first  subject,  and  she  painted  a  good  likeness 
of  him,  which  was  taken  in  part  payment  for  board. 
Even  the  artist  was  surprised  at  her  success,  and  proph- 
esied that  she  would  do  well  after  a  year's  study. 

After  she  had  been  a  week  in  New  York,  her  host- 
ess advised  Mary  to  go  to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and 
gave  her  a  letter  to  the  Kev.  Henry  Jackson  of  that 
place.  She  went  there,  and  was  kindly  received. 
While  there,  she  painted  a  little  boy,  and  produced 
an  astonishing  likeness.  She  had  to  prepare  her  own 
canvas,  and  grind  her  paints  on  a  plate  with  a  case- 
knife.  In  about  a  week  after  her  arrival  in  Hartford, 
Squire  Eider  and  his  wife,  of  Willington,  came  on  a 
visit  to  Mr.  Jackson.  They  were  so  much  pleased  with 
the  pictures  Mary  had  produced,  that  they  invited  her 
to  return  home  with  them  and  paint  the  members  of 
their  family  at  five  dollars  a  head.  She  was  to  pre- 
pare the  canvas,  while  they  would  find  paints. 

Mrs.  Colby,  in  the  mean  time,  had  written  to  Mr. 


340  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Jackson,  requesting  him  to  advance  money  on  her  ac- 
count to  Miss  Pillsbury,  should  it  be  necessary ;  but 
Mary  had  no  need  of  more  than  she  could  earn.  She 
wrote  to  Boston  for  her  trunk,  and  received  it.  Her 
parents,  by  this  time,  had  learned  her  whereabouts, 
and  no  longer  opposed  her  wish  for  independence. 

She  made  portraits  of  all  the  Eiders,  and  of  thirty 
other  persons  in  "Wellington.  Among  her  sitters  were 
members  of  the  family  of  Jonathan  Weston ,  Esq.  Sev- 
eral persons  raised  a  sum  by  subscription  to  pay  for 
the  portrait  of  Miranda  Yinton,  the  Burmese  mission- 
ary. Miss  Pillsbury  had  many  offers  of  a  home,  and 
invitations  to  spend  her  time  in  different  families,  but 
she  preferred  living  entirely  for  her  art. 

Eeturning  to  Hartford,  she  painted  a  few  more  por- 
traits. Mr.  "Western's  daughter  became  her  particular 
friend,  and  Mary  was  always  warmly  welcomed  by 
her  in  her  father's  house. 

The  young  lady's  uncle,  Mr.  Weston,  of  New  York, 
came  to  pay  his  brother  a  visit,  and  took  a  great  in- 
terest in  Mary's  paintings.  He  urged  her  to  come  to 
New  York,  and  improve  herself  by  lessons  and  study. 
After  his  departure,  she  became  once  more  possessed 
by  an  intense  desire  to  revisit  the  city,  and  find  some 
method  of  making  more  rapid  progress.  She  received 
a  letter  from  the  gentleman's  daughter,  inviting  her  to 
come  at  once  to  New  York,  where  she  could  profit  by 
the  instruction  of  experienced  artists.  The  prospect 
was  an  alluring  one,  but  Miss  Pillsbury  felt  that  she 
could  not  afford  to  give  herself  the  luxury  of  such 
lessons.  She  said  this  in  her  reply  to  the  letter  of  in- 
vitation. 

Shortly  afterward  another  letter  came  from  Miss 
"Weston,  urging  her  coming  more  earnestly.  Her  fa- 


MARY   WESTON.  341 

ther,  she  said,  would  procure  her  a  teacher,  and  would 
make  arrangements  for  the  winter.  She  was  pressed 
to  make  her  home  at  his  house ;  and,  should  she  not 
be  successful  in  her  undertaking,  he  pledged  himself 
to  see  her  safely  back  to  her  friends. 

This  tempting  offer  was  accepted.  During  the  win- 
ter Miss  Pillsbury  devoted  herself  to  copying  paint- 
ings. Ere  long  she  must  have  made  the  discovery 
that  another  feeling,  besides  the  wish  to  foster  genius, 
had  led  Mr.  Weston  to  be  so  anxious  for  her  presence. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that  in  three  months  she  became  his 
wife,  with  the  understanding  that  she  was  to  pursue 
the  profession  she  had  chosen  without  restraint. 

For  a  few  years  Mrs.  Weston  exercised  her  skill  in 
painting  under  circumstances  tending  to  distract  her 
attention.  She  became  the  mother  of  two  children, 
and  the  care  of  them  occupied  most  of  her  time.  Sev- 
eral of  her  copies  have  great  merit.  Her  large  picture 
of  the  "Angel  Gabriel  and  Infant  Saviour,"  from  Mu- 
rillo,  is  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Henry  Stebbins,  who 
married  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Weston.  She  made  a 
very  fine  copy  of  Titian's  "  Bella  Donna"  and  Guer- 
cino's  "Sibylla  Samia."  That  of  "Beatrice  Cenci" 
has  been  pronounced  an  admirable  copy.  She  also 
painted  a  "Fornarina." 

One  evening,  at  a  watering-place,  at  the  first  ball 
Mrs.  Weston  had  ever  attended,  she  was  struck  by  the 
appearance  of  a  lady  who  passed  her,  leaning  on  her 
husband's  arm.  The  lovely  features  of  this  stranger, 
her  pure  and  brilliant  complexion,  her  eyes  beaming 
with  cheerful  goodness,  and  an  indefinable  grace  in 
all  her  movements,  impressed  the  artist  as  if  she  had 
seen  a  vision.  Some  years  afterward  she  met  Mrs. 
Coventry  Waddell,  and  recognized  in  her  the  charm- 


342  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

ing  ideal  who  had  been  enshrined  in  her  memory. 
Her  portrait  of  this  lady  belongs  to  Mr.  George  Van- 
sandvoord,  of  Troy. 

Mrs.  "Waddell's  appreciation  of  Mrs.  Weston's  abili- 
ties, and  her  friendship,  proved  a  valuable  aid  to  the 
sometimes  discouraged  artist. 

Mrs.  "Weston's  flesh  tints  are  especially  natural  and 
beautiful,  and  she  gives  a  high  finish  to  her  copies  of 
paintings.  Those  from  the  old  masters,  and  others, 
have  such  wonderful  fidelity  that  her  achievements 
in  this  line  would  alone  suffice  to  make  a  reputation. 
"A  Witch  Scene,"  from  Teniers,  is  admirable.  One  of 
her  own  compositions  is  "  A  Scene  from  Lalla  Rookh," 
and  she  has  painted  both  landscapes  and  portraits 
from  nature.  She  still  resides  in  New  York. 

ANNA  MARY  FREEMAN  (MADAME  GOLDBECIC). 

has  a  high  rank  among  miniature-painters  in  this  coun- 
try. She  is  the  daughter  of  an  American  painter, 
though  she  was  born  in  Manchester,  England,  where 
her  parents  resided  for  some  years.  She  came  to  the 
United  States  when  very  young,  and  early  devoted 
herself  to  the  pursuits  of  art,  from  which  she  has  for 
ten  years  derived  her  support.  She  is  gifted  in  vari- 
ous ways ;  she  has  written  some  excellent  poetry  and 
stories,  and  is  known  as  an  accomplished  elocutionist, 
having  given  readings  in  New  York  and  elsewhere 
with  success.  Her  powers  as  a  painter,  however, 
have  been  exercised  most  profitably. 

Julia  du  Pre,  a  native  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
was  educated  at  Mrs.  Willard's  school  in  Troy,  New 
York.  On  leaving  the  school,  she  accompanied  her 
mother  and  sister  to  Paris.  Mrs.  du  Pre  wished  to 
cultivate  to  the  utmost  her  daughter's  talents  for  mu- 


JULIA   DU   PEE.  343 

sic  and  painting,  and  gave  her  the  advantage  of  the 
best  foreign  masters.  They  had  been  three  years  in 
France  when  a  sudden  reverse  deprived  them  of  their 
ample  fortune ;  yet,  with  reduced  means,  they  remained 
a  year  longer,  that  Julia  might  devote  herself  to  the 
study  of  painting  in  oil.  On  their  return  to  Charles- 
ton, Mrs.  du  Pre  and  her  daughters  opened  a  school 
for  young  ladies,  which  was  attended  with  success. 
The  continual  occupation  of  teaching,  however,  de- 
prived Julia  of  time  and  opportunity  for  the  severe 
study  necessary  to  perfect  herself  in  the  art  to  which 
she  had  wished  to  devote  her  life.  Every  hour  of 
leisure  she  could  command  was  given  to  portrait- 
painting,  and  to  making  copies  of  admired  works. 
Many  of  these  were  executed  with  great  skill,  and 
drew  praise  from  Sully  and  other  eminent  critics. 
One  of  her  best  portraits  is  that  of  Count  Alfred  de 
Yigny,  who  had  been  intimate  with  her  family  during 
their  residence  in  Paris.  Miss  du  Pre  also  made  a 
fine  copy  from  Parmegiano,  of  a  Virgin  and  Child,  and 
a  Dido  on  the  Funeral  Pile,  from  Giulio  Romano. 
These,  and  other  paintings,  gained  her  considerable 
repute  as  an  artist.  She  married  Henry  Bonnetheau, 
a  miniature-painter  of  acknowledged  merit,  and  con- 
tinues to  reside  in  Charleston.  She  spent  the  summer 
of  1856  in  Paris,  for  the  sake  of  improving  herself  in 
pastel-painting,  and  has  lately  finished  some  exquisite 
works  in  that  style.  "  The  Love-letter,"  in  the  pos- 
session of  her  brother-in-law,  Dr.  Dickson  of  Philadel- 
phia, "The  Liasons,"  and  " L'Espagnole"  have  been 
highly  praised  among  these. 

Mrs.  Bonnetheau's  gifts  are  crowned  with  the  love- 
liest traits  of  woman's  character.  She  is  esteemed  and 
beloved  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  in  Charleston, 


344  WOMEN   AETISTS. 

among  whom  are  some  of  the  best  educated  men  in 
this  country. 

The  Misses  Withers,  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
paint  in  oil  and  water  colors,  and  cut  cameos  with 
much  ability  and  skill.  They  have  also  modeled 
groups  and  figures  with  success,  and  are  devoted  to 
these  branches  of  art. 

Mrs.  Charlotte  Cheves  is  an  amateur  artist  who 
might  have  gained  celebrity  had  her  life  been  given 
to  the  study  of  painting.  She  was  Miss  M'Cord,  and 
was  born  in  Columbia,  South  Carolina.  She  married 
Mr.  Langdon  Cheves,  and  resides  on  his  rice  planta- 
tion nearly  opposite  Savannah.  She  paints  miniatures 
on  ivory,  some  of  them  excellent  likenesses,  and  fin- 
ished with  great  delicacy.  She  has  also  painted  pic- 
tures in  oil,  and  excels  in  pastels  and  pencil-sketches. 
She  is  a  musician,  too,  and  possesses  a  very  fine  voice. 

Ellen  Cooper,  the  youngest  daughter  of  the  celebra- 
ted Dr.  Thomas  Cooper,  was  a  native  of  Columbia, 
South  Carolina.  She  had  a  fine  taste  and  much  skill 
in  painting  and  ornamental  work,  and  was  remarkable 
for  intellectual  culture  and  knowledge  of  general  lit- 
erature. She  lived  some  years  in  Mobile  with  her 
sister,  and  there  married  Mr.  James  Hanna,  who  took 
her  to  reside  on  his  sugar  plantation  near  Thibodeaux, 
in  Louisiana.  She  died  in  October,  1858.  Her  sister 
is  one  of  the  most  accomplished  amateur  artists  in  the 
Southern  States. 

About  seven  years  ago  a  School  of  Design  for 
Women  was  started  by  Miss  Hamilton,  which,  sup- 
ported by  voluntary  contributions,  met  with  encour- 
aging, success.  It  has  now  been  adopted  by  the  trust- 
ees of  the  Cooper  Institute,  and  a  sum  is  allowed  an- 
nually for  the  support  of  teachers.  The  attendance 


MARY  ANN  JOHNSON.  345 

of  pupils  in  1859  has  been  double  that  of  any  former 
year. 

MARY  ANN  DOUGLAS,  now  Mrs.  Johnson,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Westfield,  Massachusetts,  where  she  at  present 
resides.  She  was  married  at  eighteen,  and  had  been 
a  wife  four  years  before  her  artist-life  commenced. 
While  a  prisoner  in  her  room,  on  account  of  sickness, 
she  amused  herself  by  copying  a  landscape  in  oil-col- 
ors. The  success  of  this  attempt  opened  to  her  a  new 
source  of  activity  and  pleasure.  She  devoted  herself 
to  the  study  of  painting,  and  labored  with  such  earn- 
estness and  fidelity  that  her  efforts  were  crowned  with 
success  beyond  her  anticipations.  Her  attention  was 
directed  especially  to  portraits.  For  the  last  four  or 
five  years  she  has  worked  in  crayon  almost  exclusive- 
ly, and  has  found  employment  abundantly  remunera- 
tive. A  visit  to  New  London,  Connecticut,  was  pro- 
longed to  nine  months'  stay,  so  great  was  the  popu- 
larity of  her  works  in  that  place ;  and  during  a  trip 
into  Central  New  York  she  painted  many  portraits  in 
oil  at  excellent  prices.  Her  indefatigable  patience  in 
the  execution  of  details,  the  fidelity  of  her  likenesses, 
and  the  delicate  perfection  of  finish  in  her  pictures, 
are  remarkable.  In  the  relations  of  social  life  Mrs. 
Johnson  has  shown  herself  amiable  and  self-sacrific- 
ing. She  has  not  an  acquaintance  who  does  not  re- 
joice in  the  triumphs  so  worthily  won  in  spite  of 
many  discouragements. 

P2 


346  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 

EMMA  STEBBINS. — Favorable  Circumstances  of  her  early  Life  to  the 
Study  of  Art. — Specimens  of  her  Skill  shown  in  private  Circles. — 
Receives  Instruction  from  Henry  Inman. — Correctness  of  her  Por- 
traits.— "A  Book  of  Prayer." — Revives  Taste  for  Illuminations. — 
Her  crayon  Portraits. — Copies  of  Paintings.  —  Cultivates  many 
Branches  of  Art. — Becomes  a  Sculptor. — Abode  in  Rome. — In- 
struction received  from  Gibson  and  Akers. — Late  Work  from  her 
Chisel.  —  "The  Miner."  — HARRIET  HOSMER.  —Dwelling  of  the 
Sculptor  Gibson  in  Rome.  — His  Studio  and  Work-room.  —  "La 
Signorina." — The  American  Sculptress. — Her  Childhood. — Phys- 
ical Training. — School-life. — Anecdotes. — Studies  at  Home. — At 
St.  Louis. — Her  Independence. — Trip  on  the  Mississippi. — "Hes- 
per."  —  Departure  for  Rome.  —  Mr.  Gibson's  Decision.  —  Extract 
from  Miss  Hosmer's  Letter. — Original  Designs. — Reverse  of  For- 
tune.— Alarm,  —  Resolution.  —  Industry,  Economy,  and  Success. 
—Late  Works.— Visit  of  the  Prince  of  Wales. 

EMMA  STEBBINS. 

FEW  lady  artists  of  this  or  any  country  have  been 
surrounded  with  circumstances  more  favorable  to  the 
development  of  genius.  Her  childhood  was  passed 
among  those  who  possessed  culture  and  refined  taste, 
and  she  was  familiar  with  the  elegant  adornments  of 
life.  She  learned  early  to  embody  the  delicate  crea- 
tions of  her  fancy  in  song  or  pictures,  as  well  as  to  im- 
itate what  pleased  her.  Her  family  and  nearest  circle 
of  friends  were  ready — as  is  not  always  the  case — to 
appreciate  and  encourage  her  efforts.  But,  though 
she  had  no  early  difficulties  to  struggle  with,  the  steep 
and  rugged  path  to  eminent  success  could  not  be 
smoothed  by  the  hand  of  affection,  and  she  has  gone 


EMMA  STEBBINS.  347 

through,  all  the  lessoning  and  exercise  of  powers  de- 
manded for  the  achievement  of  greatness,  as  well  from 
those  favored  of  fortune  as  those  to  whom  the  capri- 
cious goddess  has  proved  a  step-dame. 

Miss  Stebbins  is  a  native  of  the  city  of  New  York, 
where,  till  within  a  few  years,  she  employed  the  rare 
skill  she  had  acquired  in  different  branches  of  art  for 
the  gratification  of  her  friends  or  for  charitable  pur- 
poses. Several  artists  noticed  in  the  beautiful  speci- 
mens which  were  shown  in  various  circles  as  her  work 
the  evidence  of  more  than  ordinary  talent.  Among 
these  was  Henry  Inman,  the  distinguished  painter. 
He  invited  the  young  girl  to  visit  his  studio,  and  of- 
fered to  give  her  instruction  in  oil-painting.  She  had 
never  before  taken  lessons,  and  was  pleased  with  the 
prospect  of  study.  She  improved  under  the  direc- 
tions of  her  teacher,  and  to  this  aid  some  of  her  friends 
attributed  the  masterly  correctness  and  grace  displa}7-- 
ed  in  her  portraits,  and  for  which  afterward  her  cray- 
on sketches  were  so  much  admired. 

One  of  Miss  Stebbins's  early  works  was  a  volume 
to  which  she  gave  the  title,  "  A  Book  of  Prayer."  It 
contains  some  beautiful  specimens  of  her  poetry,  but 
is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  exquisite  illuminations. 
It  was  one  of  the  first  among  the  efforts  to  revive  that 
style  of  illustration ;  and  the  originality,  grace,  and 
beauty  of  the  designs,  with  the  delicate  and  elaborate 
finish  of  the  execution,  made  it  quite  a  curiosity  of 
art.  Some  other  books  were  illuminated  by  Miss 
Stebbins  in  the  same  manner. 

The  love  of  art  in  the  child  of  genius  "  grows  by 
what  it  feeds  on,"  and  claims  an  undivided  devotion 
to  its  pursuits.  Perhaps  no  kind  of  knowledge  is  so 
fascinating  when  its  fruits  are  tasted.  Miss  Stebbins 


348  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

found  no  charm  in  the  social  pleasures  at  her  com- 
mand which  could  draw  her  attention  from  painting. 
She  finally  resolved  on  an  exclusive  consecration  of 
her  talents  to  art,  making  it  the  sole  business  of  her 
life.  She  determined  to  go  to  Eome. 

Several  of  her  crayon  portraits,  executed  in  Rome, 
received  the  highest  encomiums  from  acknowledged 
judges  in  that  city.  A  copy  she  made  of  the  "  St. 
John"  of  Du  Boeuf,  and  one  from  a  painting  in  the 
gallery  of  the  Louvre,  representing  a  "Girl  Dictating 
a  Love-letter,"  were  noted  among  her  oil-paintings. 
Her  "  Boy  and  Bird's  Nest"  was  done  in  the  style  of 
Murillo.  Her  pastel-painting  of  "  Two  Dogs"  has  been 
highly  praised. 

Almost  every  branch  of  the  imitative  art  has  been 
at  different  periods  cultivated  by  Miss  Stebbins,  and 
her  success  proves  the  scope  and  versatility  of  her  tal- 
ent. Besides  painting  in  oil  and  water  colors,  she  has 
practiced  drawing  on  wood  and  carving  wood,  model- 
ing in  clay,  and  working  in  marble.  It  is  probably 
in  the  difficult  art  of  sculpture  that  she  will  leave  to 
America  the  works  by  which  she  will  be  most  widely 
known. 

She  profited,  like  Miss  Hosmer,  by  the  counsels  and 
supervision  of  Gibson,  and  the  careful  instruction  of 
Akers.  A  work  from  her  chisel,  in  the  spring  of 
1859,  commanded  the  highest  suffrages.  Mr.  Heck- 
scher,  a  large  proprietor  of  coal-mines  in  the  United 
States,  had  requested  Miss  Stebbins  to  execute  for 
him  two  typical  statues — one  of  Industry,  the  other 
of  Commerce.  The  figure  of  Industry  is  completed, 
and  has  been  represented  by  the  artist,  with  graceful 
taste,  as  a  miner.  A  critic  says : 

"  The  figure  is  that  of  an  athletic,  admirably -pro- 


HARRIET  HOSMER.  34$ 

portioned  youth,  who  bears  upon  his  right  shoulder 
the  pick,  and  in  the  front  of  his  picturesque  slouched 
hat  the  miner's  lamp.  The  weight  of  the  body  is 
thrown  easily  and  naturally  upon  the  right  leg,  and 
the  left  hand  rests  with  the  carelessness  of  manly 
strength  upon  a  block  of  marble,  drilled  and  hewn  in 
the  manner  of  a  mass  of  coal.  The  symmetrical  vigor 
of  the  figure,  admirable  as  it  is,  is  not  more  admirable 
than  the  lofty,  ingenuous  beauty  of  the  classic  head 
and  face,  poised  in  an  attitude  equally  unforced  and 
striking,  upon  the  graceful,  well-rounded  throat.  The 
drapery  of  the  full  shirt,  open  at  the  neck  and  close- 
gathered  about  the  waist,  is  managed  with  particular 
skill ;  and  while  the  whole  figure  reminds  one  strik- 
ingly of  one  of  those  magnificent  Gothic  kings  whose 
images  stand  in  the  vestibule  of  the  Museo  Borlonico, 
at  Naples,  the  spirit  and  air  of  it  are  purely  modern 
and  American.  It  is,  in  truth,  one  of  the  most  felici- 
tous combinations  of  every-day  national  truth  with  the 
enduring  and  cosmopolite  truth  of  art-  ever  seen,  and 
it  is  a  work  which  does  equal  credit  to  the  sex  and  the 
country  of  the  artist." 

Miss  Stebbins  has  taken  up  her  residence  perma- 
nently in  Eome,  amid  those  surroundings  and  associ- 
ations sought  by  artists  of  all  nations  as  most  favora- 
ble to  their  progress.  She  has  been  for  some  time  en- 
gaged in  modeling  in  clay  several  groups  which,  though 
as  yet  unfinished,  have  been  criticised  favorably  by 
connoisseurs  and  friends. 

HARRIET  HOSMER. 

In  the  Yia  Fontanella  at  Kome — a  street  close  upon 
the  beautiful  Piazza  del  Popolo,  and  running  at  a  right 
angle  from  the  Babuino  to  the  Corso,  a  few  steps  out 


350  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

of  the  Babuino  on  the  left — is  a  large,  rough,  worm- 
eaten  door,  which  has  evidently  seen  good  service,  and 
from  the  appearance  of  which  no  casual  and  uninitia- 
ted passer-by  would  suspect  the  treasures  of  art  it  con- 
ceals and  protects.  A  small  piece  of  whip-cord,  with 
a  knot  as  handle,  issues  from  a  perforated  hole,  by 
means  of  which — a  small  bell  being  set  in  motion — 
access  is  gained  to  the  studio  of  England's  greatest  liv- 
ing master  of  sculpture,  John  Gibson. 

The  threshold  crossed,  the  visitor  finds  himself  at 
once  in  the  midst  of  this  artist's  numerous  works.  In 
a  large  barn-like  shed,  with  a  floor  of  earth,  on  pedes- 
tals of  various  materials,  shapes,  and  sizes,  stand  the 
beautiful  Cupid  and  Butterfly,  the  wounded  Amazon, 
Paris  and  Proserpine  gathering  flowers,  the  charming 
groups  of  Psyche  borne  by  the  Zephyrs,  of  Hylas  and 
the^Water  Nymphs,  and  the  noble  basso-relievo  of 
Phaeton  and  the  Hours  leading  forth  the  horses  of 
the  Sun,  with,  perhaps,  a  bust  or  figure  in  progress  by 
the  workman  whose  duty  it  is  to  keep  the  studio  and 
attend  to  the  numerous  visitors.  Facing  the  door  of 
entry  just  described  is  its  counterpart,  opening  into  a 
fairy-like  square  plot  of  garden,  filled  with  orange  and 
lemon  trees  and  roses,  and,  in  the  spring,  fragrant  with 
violets  blue  and  white,  Cape  jasmine,  and  lilies  of  the 
valley ;  while,  in  a  shady  recess,  and  fern-grown  nook 
trickles  a  perpetual  fountain  of  crystal-clear  water. 
The  sun  floods  this  tiny  garden  with  his  golden  light, 
flecking  the  trellised  walks  with  broken  shadows,  and 
wooing  his  way,  royal  and  irresistible  lover  as  he  is, 
to  the  humbler  floral  divinities  of  the  place,  sheltered 
beneath  their  own  green  leaves,  or  in  the  superb  shade 
of  the  acanthus.  Lovely  is  the  effect  of  this  rich  glow 
of  sunlight  as  one  stands  in  the  shade  of  the  studio, 


HARRIET   HOSMEK.  351 

perfumed  with  the  sweet  blossoms  of  the  South ;  love- 
ly the  aspect  both  of  nature  and  of  art,  into  the  pres- 
ence of  which  we  are  so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly 
ushered  from  the  ugly,  dirty  street  without.  Having 
gazed  our  fill  here,  we  step  into  the  garden,  and,  turn- 
ing to  the  right,  if  we  be  favored  visitors,  friends,  or 
the  friends  of  friends,  we  "are  next  ushered  into  the 
sanctum  of  the  master  himself,  whom  we  shall  proba- 
bly find  engaged  in  modeling,  and  from  whom  we 
shall  certainly  receive  a  kind  and  genial  welcome, 
granting  always  that  we  have  some  claim  for  our  in- 
trusion upon  his  privacy. 

This  room,  long  and  narrow,  is  boarded,  and  has 
some  pretensions  to  comfort;  but  throughout  the 
whole  range  of  studios  the  absence  of  care  and  atten- 
tion will  strike  the  eye,  more  especially  as  it  is  the 
present  fashion  in  Eome  to  render  the  studios  both  of 
painter  and  sculptor  as  comfortable  and  habitable  as 
possible.  From  Mr.  Gibson's  own  room  we  are  taken 
into  another  rough  shed,  where  the  process  of  trans- 
formation from  plaster  to  marble  is  carried  on,  and 
where  frequent  visitors  can  not  fail  to  discover  the 
vast  difference  which  exists  in  skill  and  natural  apti- 
tude among  the  numerous  workmen  employed. 

As  the  different  processes  of  sculpture  are  but  little 
known,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  throw  some 
light  upon  them.  The  artist  himself  models  the  figure, 
bust,  or  group,  whatever  it  may  be,  in  clay,  spending 
all  his  skill,  time,  and  labor  on  this  first  stage.  When 
complete — and  many  months,  sometimes  even  years  of 
unwearied  study  are  given  to  the  task — a  plaster  cast 
is  taken  from  the  clay  figure,  from  which  cast  the 
workmen  put  the  subject  into  marble,  the  artist  super- 
intending it,  and  reserving  to  himself  the  more  deli- 


352  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

cate  task  of  finishing.  Thorwaldsen,  speaking  of  these 
processes,  says,  "  that  the  clay  model  may  be  called 
creation,  the  plaster  cast  death,  and  the  marble  resur- 
rection." Certain  it  is  that  the  clay  model  and  the 
marble  statue,  when  each  has  received  the  finishing 
stroke,  are  more  closely  allied,  more  nearly  identical, 
one  with  the  other,  than  either  is  with  the  plaster  cast. 
So  alive  are  sculptors  to  the  fact  of  the  injury  done  to 
their  works  by  being  seen  in  plaster  casts,  that  they 
bestow  great  pains  in  working  them  over  by  hand  to 
restore  something  of  the  fineness  and  sharpness  which 
the  process  of  modeling  has  destroyed.  So  impressed 
with  this  is  Powers,  the  American  sculptor,  that,  with 
the  ingenuity  and  inventive  skill  of  his  country,  he 
has  succeeded  in  making  a  plaster  hard  almost  as  mar- 
ble, and  which  bears  with  equal  impunity  the  file, 
chisel,  and  polisher. 

There  are  in  Eome  workmen  devoted  to  the  pro- 
duction of  certain  portions  of  the  figure,  draped  or  un- 
draped ;  for  instance,  one  man  is  distinguished  for  his 
ability  in  working  the  hair,  and  confines  himself  to 
this  specialty ;  while  another  is  famous  for  his  meth- 
od of  rendering  the  quality  of  flesh,  and  a  third  is  un- 
equaled  in  drapery.  Yery  rarely  does  it  happen  that 
the  artist  is  lucky  enough  to  find  all  these  qualities 
combined  in  one  man,  but  it  does  occasionally  happen ; 
and  Mr.  Gibson  is  himself  fortunate  in  the  possession 
of  a  workman  whose  skill  and  manipulative  power,  in 
all  departments,  are  of  the  highest  order.  A  Eo- 
man  by  birth,  the  handsome  and  highly  organized 
Camillo,  with  his  slight  figure,  and  delicate,  almost 
effeminate  hands,  is  a  master  of  the  mallet  and  chisel, 
and,  from  the  head  to  the  foot,  renders  and  interprets 
his  model  with  artistic  power  and  feeling.  The  man 


HABKIET  HOSHEK.  353 

loves  his  work,  and  the  work  repays  his  love,  as  when 
does  it  not,  from  the  sublime  labors  of  genius  to  the 
humblest  vocation  of  street  or  alley  ? 

To  return  from  our  digression ;  leaving  the  work- 
room, we  cross  one  side  of  the  small  garden,  and  by 
just  such  another  rough  door  as  the  two  we  have  al- 
ready passed  through  in  the  first  studio,  we  enter  an- 
other capacious,  barn-like  apartment,  the  centre  of 
which  is  occupied  by  the  colored  Venus,  so  dear  to 
Mr.  Gibson's  heart  that,  though  executed  to  order, 
year  after  year  passes  on,  and  he  can  not  make  up  his 
mind  to  part  with  it.  Eanged  around  the  walls  of 
this  capacious  studio  are  casts  of  the  Hunter,  one  of 
the  earliest  and  most  vigorous  of  Mr.  Gibson's  works ; 
of  the  Queen,  of  the  colossal  group  in  the  House  of 
Lords,  and  sundry  others.  Having  inspected  these  at 
our  leisure,  and  viewed  the  Yenus  from  the  most  ap- 
proved point,  probably  under  the  eye  of  the  master, 
who  never  tires  of  expatiating  on  the  great  knowledge 
of  the  ancients  in  coloring  their  statues,  a  curtain  across 
the  left-hand  corner  of  the  studio  is  lifted,  and  the  at- 
tendant inquires  if  "  la  signorina"  will  receive  visitors. 
The  permission  given,  we  ascend  a  steep  flight  of  stairs, 
and  find  ourselves  in  a  small  upper  studio,  face  to  face 
with  a  compact  little  figure,  five  feet  two  in  height,  in 
cap  and  blouse,  whose  short,  sunny  brown  curls,  broad 
brow,  frank  and  resolute  expression  of  countenance, 
give  one  at  the  first  glance  the  impression  of  a  hand- 
some boy.  It  is  the  first  glance  only,  however,  which 
misleads  one.  The  trim  waist  and  well-developed  bust 
belong  unmistakably  to  a  woman,  and  the  deep,  earn- 
est eyes,  firm-set  mouth,  and  modest  dignity  of  deport- 
ment show  that  woman  to  be  one  of  no  ordinary  char- 
acter and  ability. 


354:  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

Thus,  reader,  we  Have  brought  you  face  to  face  with 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Harriet  Hosmer,  the  Amer- 
ican sculptress. 

Born  at  Watertown,  Mass.,  in  the  year  1831,  Harriet 
Hosmer  is  the  only  surviving  daughter  of  a  physician, 
who,  having  lost  wife  and  child  by  consumption,  and 
fearing  a  like  fate  for  the  survivor,  gave  her  horse, 
dog,  gun,  and  boat,  and  insisted  upon  an  out-doors 
life  as  indispensable  to  health.  A  fearless  horsewoman, 
a  good  shot,  an  adept  in  rowing,  swimming,  diving, 
and  skating,  Harriet  Hosmer  is  a  signal  instance  of 
what  judicious  physical  training  will  effect  in  conquer- 
ing even  hereditary  taint  of  constitution.  Willingly 
as  the  active,  energetic  child  acquiesced  in  her  father's 
wishes,  she  contrived,  at  the  same  time,  to  gratify  and 
develop  her  own  peculiar  tastes;  and  many  a  time 
and  oft,  when  the  worthy  doctor  may  have  flattered 
himself  that  his  darling  was  in  active  exercise,  she 
might  have  been  found  in  a  certain  clay -pit,  not  very 
far  from  the  paternal  residence,  making  early  attempts 
at  modeling  horses,  dogs,  sheep,  men  and  women,  or 
any  object  which  attracted  her  attention.  Both  here, 
and  subsequently  at  Lenox,  she  made  good  use  of  her 
time  by  studying  natural  history,  and  of  her  gun  by 
securing  specimens  for  herself  of  the  wild  creatures  of 
the  woods,  feathered  and  furred ;  dissecting  some,  and 
with  her  own  hands  preparing  and  stuffing  others. 
The  walls  of  the  room  devoted  to  her  special  use  in 
"  the  old  house  at  home,"  are  covered  with  birds,  bats, 
butterflies  and  beetles,  snakes  and  toads,  while  sundry 
bottles  of  spirits  contain  subjects  carefully  dissected 
and  prepared  by  herself. 

Ingenuity  and  taste  were  shown  in  the  use  to  which 
the  young  girl  applied  the  eggs  and  feathers  of  the 


HARRIET  HOSMER.  355 

nests  and  birds  she  had  pilfered.  One  inkstand,  a 
very  early  production,  evinces  mechanical  genius  and 
artistic  taste.  Taking  the  head,  throat,  wings,  and 
side  feathers  of  a  bluebird,  she  blew  the  contents  from 
a  hen's  egg,  and  set  it  on  end,  forming  the  breast  of 
the  bird  by  the  oval  surface  of  the  egg,  while  through 
the  open  beak  and  extended  neck  entrance  was  gained 
to  the  cavity  of  the  egg  containing  the  ink. 

No  one  could  look  round  this  apartment,  occupied 
by  the  child  and  young  girl,  without  at  once  recog- 
nizing the  force  and  individuality  of  character  which 
have  since  distinguished  her. 

Full  of  fun  and  frolic,  numerous  anecdotes  are  told 
of  practical  jokes  perpetrated  to  such  an  excess  that 
Dr.  Hosmer  was  satisfied  with  the  progress  toward 
health  and  strength  his  child  had  made ;  and  having 
endeavored,  without  success,  to  place  her  under  tuition 
in  daily  and  weekly  schools  near  home,  he  determined 
to  commit  her  to  the  care  of  Mrs.  Sedgwick,  of  Len- 
ox, Massachusetts.  Thither  the  young  lady,  having 
been  expelled  from  one  school,  and  given  over  as  in- 
corrigible at  another,  was  accordingly  sent,  with  strict 
injunctions  that  health  should  still  be  a  paramount 
consideration,  and  that  the  new  pupil  should  have  lib- 
erty to  ride  and  walk,  shoot  and  swim  to  her  heart's 
content.  In  wiser  or  kinder  hands  the  young  girl 
could  not  have  been  placed.  Here,  too,  she  met 
with  Mrs.  Fanny  Kemble,  whose  influence  tended  to 
strengthen  and  develop  her  already  decided  tastes  and 
predilections.  To  Mrs.  Kemble  we  have  heard  the 
young  artist  gratefully  attribute  the  encouragement 
which  decided  her  to  follow  sculpture  as  a  profession, 
and  to  devote  herself  and  her  life  to  the  pursuit  of  art. 

Miss   Hosmer's   school  -  fellows   remember    many 


356  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

pranks  and  exploits  that  showed  her  daring  spirit  and 
love  of  frolic.  One  of  these  was  capturing  a  hawk's 
nest  from  the  top  of  a  very  high  forest-tree,  to  which 
she  climbed  at  the  risk  of  her  life.  Her  room  was 
decorated,  as  at  home,  with  grotesque  preserved  spec- 
imens, among  which  was  a  variety  of  reptiles,  usually 
the  horror  of  young  ladies. 

An  anonymous  squib  upon  Boston  and  Bostonians 
was  about  this  time  attributed  to  Miss  Hosmer.  A 
practical  joke  upon  a  physician  of  Boston  had  been 
the  immediate  cause  of  her  being  sent  to  Lenox.  Her 
health  having  given  her  father  some  uneasiness,  the 
gentleman  in  question,  a  physician  in  large  practice, 
was  called  in  to  attend  her.  The  rather  uncertain 
visits  of  this  physician  proved  a  source  of  great  an- 
noyance and  some  real  inconvenience  to  his  patient, 
inasmuch  as  they  interfered  with  her  rides  and  drives, 
shooting,  and  boating  excursions.  Having  borne  with 
the  inconvenience  some  time,  she  requested  the  gen- 
tleman, as  a  great  favor,  to  name  an  hour  for  his  call, 
that  she  might  make  her  arrangements  accordingly. 
The  physician  agreed,  but  punctuality  is  not  always 
at  the  command  of  professional  men.  Matters  were 
as  bad  as  ever.  Sometimes  the  twelve  o'clock  ap- 
pointment did  not  come  off  till  three  in  the  afternoon. 

One  day,  in  particular,  Dr. was  some  hours 

after  the  time.  A  playful  quarrel  took  place  between 
physician  and  patient;  and,  as  he  rose  to  take  his 
leave,  and  offered  another  appointment,  Miss  Hosmer 
insisted  upon  his  giving  his  word  to  keep  it. 

"If  I  am  alive,"  said  he,  "I  will  be  here,"  naming 
some  time  on  a  certain  day. 

"  Then,  if  you  are  not  here,"  was  the  reply,  "  I  am 
to  conclude  that  vou  are  dead." 


HAKK1ET   HOSMER.  357 

Thus  they  parted.  The  day  and  hour  arrived,  but 
no  doctor  made  his  appearance.  That  evening  Miss 
Hosmer  rode  into  Boston,  and  next  morning  the  pa- 
pers announced  the  decease  of  Dr. .  Half  Bos- 
ton and  its  neighborhood  rushed  to  the  physician's 
house  to  leave  cards  and  messages  of  condolence  for 
the  family,  and  to  inquire  into  the  cause  of  the  sudden 
and  lamentable  event. 

In  1850,  being  then  nineteen,  Harriet  Hosmer  left 
Lenox.  Mrs.  Sedgwick's  judicious  treatment,  and  the 
motive  and  encouragement  supplied  by  Mrs.  Kemble, 
had  given  the  right  impetus  to  that  activity  of  mind 
and  body  which  needed  only  guiding  and  directing 
into  legitimate  channels.  She  returned  to  her  father's 
house,  at  Watertown,  to  pursue  her  art-studies,  and  to 
fit  herself  for  the  career  she  had  resolved  upon  follow- 
ing. There  was  at  this  time  a  cousin  of  Miss  Hos- 
mer's  studying  with  her  father,  between  whom  and 
herself  existed  a  hearty  camaraderie.  Together  the 
two  spent  many  hours  in  dissecting  legs  and  arms, 
and  in  making  acquaintance  with  the  human  frame, 
Dr.  Hosmer  having  erected  a  small  building  at  the 
bottom  of  his  garden  to  facilitate  these  studies.  Those 
were  days  of  close  study  and  application.  Lessons  in 
drawing  and  modeling — for  which  our  young  student 
had  to  repair  to  Boston,  a  distance  of  seven  or  eight 
miles — and  anatomical  studies  with  her  cousin,  were 
alternated  with  the  inevitable  rides  and  boating  on 
which  her  father  wisely  insisted.  The  Eiver  Charles 
runs  immediately  before  the  house,  and  on  this  river 
Harriet  Hosmer  had  a  boat-house,  containing  a  safe, 
broad  boat,  and  a  fragile,  poetical-looking  gondola, 
with  silvered  prow,  the  delight  of  her  heart,  and  the 
terror  of  her  less  experienced  and  unswimming  friends. 


358  WOMEN   ARTISTS. 

The  life  of  the  young  girl  was  at  this  period  full  of 
earnest  purpose  and  noble  ambition,  and  the  untiring 
energy  and  perseverance  which  distinguish  her  now 
in  so  remarkable  a  degree  were  at  this  time  evidenced 
and  developed. 

Having  modeled  one  or  two  copies  from  the  antique, 
she  next  tried  her  hand  on  a  portrait-bust,  and  then 
cut  Canova's  bust  of  Napoleon  in  marble,  working  it 
entirely  with  her  own  hands  that  she  might  make  her- 
self mistress  of  the  process.  Her  father,  seeing  her 
devoted  to  her  studies,  seconded  them  in  every  possi- 
ble way,  and  proposed  to  send  her  to  his  friend,  Dr. 
M'Dowell,  Professor  of  Anatomy  in  the  St.  Louis  Col- 
lege, that  she  might  go  through  a  course  of  regular 
instruction,  and  be  thus  thoroughly  grounded  for  the 
branch  of  art  she  had  chosen.  The  young  artist  was 
but  too  glad  to  close  with  the  offer ;  and,  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1850,  we  find  her  at  St.  Louis,  residing  in  the 
family  of  her  favorite  •  schoolmate  from  Lenox,  win- 
ning the  hearts  of  all  its  members  by  her  frank,  joy- 
ous nature,  and  steady  application,  and  securing,  in 
the  head  of  it,  what  she  heartily  and  energetically 
calls  "the  best  friend  I  ever  had." 

Her  independence  of  manner  and  character,  joined 
to  the  fact  of  her  entering  the  college  as  a  student, 
could  not  fail  to  bring  down  animadversion,  and  many 
were  the  tales  fabricated  and  circulated  anent  the 
young  New  Englander,  who  was  said  to  carry  pistols 
in  her  belt,  and  to  be  prepared  to  take  the  life  of  any 
one  who  interfered  with  her.  It  was,  perhaps,  no  dis- 
advantage, under  the  circumstances,  to  be  protected 
by  such  a  character.  The  college  stood  some  way 
from  the  inhabited  part  of  the  town,  and  in  early 
morning  and  late  evening,  going  to  and  fro  with  the 


HARRIET  HOSMER.  359 

other  students,  it  is  not  impossible  that  she  owed  the 
perfect  impunity  with  which  she  set  conventionality 
at  defiance  to  the  character  for  courage,  and  skill  in 
the  use  of  fire-arms  which  attended  her. 

Dr.  M 'Do well,  charmed  with  the  talent  and  earnest- 
ness of  his  pupil,  afforded  her  every  facility  in  his 
power,  giving  her  the  freedom  of  the  college  at  all 
times,  and  occasionally  bestowing  upon  her  a  private 
lecture  when  she  attended  to  see  him  preparing  dis- 
sections for  the  public  ones.  Pleasant  and  encourag- 
ing it  is  to  find  men  of  ability  and  eminence  so  will- 
ing to  help  a  woman  when  she  is  willing  to  help  her- 
self. The  career  of  this  young  artist  hitherto  has  been 
marked  by  the  warm  and  generous  encouragement  of 
first-rate  men,  from  Professor  M'Dowell  to  John  Gib- 
son, and  pleasant  it  is  to  find  the  affectionate  and 
grateful  appreciation  of  such  kindness,  converting  the 
temporary  tie  of  master  and  pupil  into  the  permanent 
one  of  tried  and  valued  friendship.  "I  remember 
Professor  M'Dowell,"  writes  Miss  Hosmer,  "  with  great 
affection  and  gratitude,  as  being  a  most  thorough  and 
patient  teacher,  as  well  as  at  all  times  a  good,  kind 
friend." 

Through  the  winter  and  spring  of  1851,  in  fact, 
during  the  whole  term,  Harriet  Hosmer  prosecuted 
her  studies  with  unremitting  zeal  and  attention,  and 
at  the  close  was  presented  with  a  "  diploma,"  or  cer- 
tificate, testifying  to  her  anatomical  efficiency.  During 
her  stay  at  St.  Louis,  and  as  a  testimony  of  her  grati- 
tude and  regard,  Miss  Hosmer  cut,  from  a  bust  of  Pro- 
fessor M'Dowell  by  Clevenger,  a  medallion  in  marble, 
life  size,  which  is  now  in  the  museum  of  the  College. 
It  is  perhaps  worthy  of  note  that  Clevenger  and  Pow- 
ers both  studied  anatomy  under  this  professor. 


360  WOMEN   AETISTS. 

The  "diploma"  achieved,  our  young  aspirant  was 
bent  upon  seeing  New  Orleans  before  returning  to  her 
New  England  home.  It  was  a  season  of  the  year  not 
favorable  for  such  travel,  and,  from  some  cause  or  an- 
other, she  failed  in  inducing  any  of  her  friends  to  ac- 
company her.  To  will  and  to  do  are  synonymous 
with  some;  and  so,  Harriet  Hosmer  having  set  her 
mind  upon  an  excursion  down  the  Mississippi  to  the 
Crescent  City,  embarked  herself  one  fine  morning  on 
board  a  steamer  bound  for  New  Orleans.  The  river 
was  shallow,  the  navigation  difficult ;  many  a  boat  did 
our  adventurous  traveler  pass  high  and  dry ;  but  for- 
tune, as  usual,  was  with  her,  and  she  reached  her  des- 
tination in  safety.  The  weather  was  intensely  warm, 
but,  nothing  daunted,  our  young  friend  saw  all  that 
was  to  be  seen,  returning  at  night  to  sleep  on  board 
the  steamer  as  it  lay  in  its  place  by  the  levee,  and,  at 
the  expiration  of  a  week,  returning  with  it  to  St.  Louis. 
Arrived  there,  instead  of  rejoining  her  friends,  she 
took  boat  for  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  on  the  Upper 
Mississippi,  stopping,  on  the  way,  at  Dubuque,  to  visit 
a  lead  mine,  into  which  she  descended  by  means  of  a 
bucket,  and  came  very  near  an  accident  which  must 
inevitably  have  resulted  fatally ;  a  catastrophe  which, 
as  no  one  knew  where  she  was,  would  probably  have 
remained  a  secret  forever.  At  the  Falls  of  St.  An- 
thony, she  went  among  the  Indians,  much  to  their 
surprise  and  amusement,  and  brought  away  with  her 
a  pipe,  presented  by  the  chief,  in  token  of  amity.  She 
also  achieved  the  ascent  of  a  mountain  never  before 
•undertaken  by  a  female;  and  so  delighted  were  the 
spectators  with  her  courage  and  agility,  that  they  in- 
sisted upon  knowing  her  name,  that  the  mountain 
might  thenceforth  be  called  after  her.  In  a  subsequent 


HAEEIET  HOSMER.  361 

visit  to  St.  Louis,  Miss  Hosmer  found  that  her  rustic 
admirers  had  been  as  good  as  their  word,  and  "Hos- 
mer's  Height"  remains  an  evidence  of  "the  little 
lady's"  ambition  and  courage. 

On  her  return  to  St.  Louis,  where  her  prolonged  ab- 
sence had  created  no  little  uneasiness,  she  remained 
but  a  short  time,  and,  bidding  farewell  to  her  kind 
friends,  retraced  her  steps  homeward. 

This  was  in  the  autumn  of  1851.  No  sooner  had 
Harriet  Hosmer  reached  home  than  she  set  to  work  to 
model  an  ideal  bust  of  Hesper,  continuing  her  ana- 
tomical studies  with  her  cousin,  and  employing  her  in- 
tervals of  leisure  and  rest  in  reading,  riding,  and  boat- 
ing. Now  followed  a  period  of  earnest  work,  cheered 
and  inspired  by  those  visions  of  success,  of  purpose 
fulfilled,  of  high  aims  realized,  which  haunt  the  young 
and  enthusiastic  aspirant,  and  throw  a  halo  round  the 
youthful  days  of  genius,  lending  a  color  to  the  whole 
career.  As  Lowell  wisely  and  poetically  says, 

"  Great  dreams  preclude  low  ends." 

Better  to  aspire  and  fail  than  not  aspire  at  all ;  better 
to  know  the  dream,  and  the  fever,  and  the  awakening, 
if  it  must  be,  than  to  pass  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave 
on  the  level  plane  of  content  with  things  as  they  are. 
There  may  be  aspiration  without  genius ;  there  can 
not  be  genius  without  aspiration;  and  where  genius 
is  backed  by  industry  and  perseverance,  the  aspiration 
of  one  period  will  meet  its  realization  in  another. 

To  go  to  Eome — to  make  herself  acquainted  with 
all  its  treasures  of  art,  ancient  and  modern — to  study 
and  work  as  the  masters  of  both  periods  had  studied 
and  worked  before  her — this  was  now  our  youthful 
artist's  ambition ;  and  all  the  while  she  labored,  heart 
and  soul,  at  Hesper,  the  first  creation  of  her  genius, 

Q 


362  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 

watching  its  growth  beneath,  her  hand,  as  a  young 
mother  watches,  step  by  step,  the  progress  of  her  first- 
born ;  kneading  in  with  the  plastic  clay  all  those  thou- 
sand hopes  and  fears  which,  turn  by  turn,  charm  and 
agitate  all  who  aspire.  At  length,  the  clay  model  fin- 
ished, a  block  of  marble  was  sought  and  found,  and 
brought  home  to  the  shed  in  the  garden,  hitherto  ap- 
propriated to  dissecting  purposes,  but  now  fitted  up  as 
a  studio.  Here,  with  her  own  small  hands,  the  youth- 
ful maiden,  short  of  stature  and  delicate  in  make,  any 
thing  but  robust  in  health,  with  chisel  and  mallet 
blocked  out  the  bust,  and  subsequently,  with  rasp  and 
file,  finished  it  to  the  last  degree  of  manipulative  per- 
fection. Months  and  months  it  took,  and  hours  and 
days  of  quiet  toil  and  patience ;  but  those  wings  of 
genius,  perseverance  and  industry,  ware  hers,  and  love 
lent  zest  to  the  work.  It  was  late  summer  in  1852 
before  Hesper  was  fully  completed. 

A  critic  in  the  New  York  Tribune  thus  wrote  of 
this  work : 

"  It  has  the  face  of  a  lovely  maiden,  gently  falling 
asleep  with  the  sound  of  distant  music.  Her  hair  is 
gracefully  arranged,  and  intertwined  with  capsules  of 
the  poppy.  A  star  shines  on  her  forehead,  and  under 
her  breast  lies  the  crescent  moon.  The  hush  of  even- 
ing breathes  from  the  serene  countenance  and  the 
heavily-drooping  eyelids.  .  .  .  The  swell  of  the 
cheeks  and  the  bust  is  like  pure,  young,  healthy  flesh, 
and  the  muscles  of  the  beautiful  mouth  are  so  deli- 
cately cut,  it  seems  like  a  thing  that  breathes. 

"  The  poetic  conception  of  the  subject  is  the  crea- 
tion of  her  own  mind,  and  the  embodiment  of  it  is  all 
done  by  her  own  hands — even  the  hard,  rough,  me- 
chanical portions  of  the  work.  She  employed  a  man 


HARRIET  HOSMER.  363 

to  chop  off  some  large  bits  of  marble ;  but,  as  lie  was 
•unaccustomed  to  assist  sculptors,  she  did  not  venture 
to  have  him  cut  within  several  inches  of  the  surface 
she  intended  to  work." 

"Now,"  said  she  to  her  father,  "I  am  ready  to  go 
to  Eome." 

"And  you  shall  go,  my  child,  this  very  autumn," 
was  the  reply. 

Anxious  as  Dr.  Hosmer  was  to  facilitate  in  every 
way  the  career  his  daughter  had  chosen,  there  was  yet 
another  reason  for  going  to  Italy  before  winter  set  in. 
Study  and  nervous  anxiety  had  made  their  impression 
upon  a  naturally  delicate  constitution,  and  a  short, 
dry  cough  alarmed  the  worthy  doctor  for  his  child's 
health. 

October  of  1852  saw  father  and  daughter  on  their 
way  to  Europe,  the  St.  Louis  diploma  and  daguerreo- 
types of  Hesper  being  carefully  stowed  away  in  the 
safest  corner  of  the  portmanteau  as  evidences  of  what 
the  young  artist  had  already  achieved,  when,  arrived 
at  Kome,  she  should  seek  the  instruction  of  one  of  two 
masters,  whose  fame,  world- wide,  alone  could  satisfy 
our  aspirant's  ambition.  So  eager  was  her  desire  to 
reach  Eome  that  a  week  only  was  given  to  England ; 
and  then,  joining  some  friends  in  Paris,  the  whole 
party  proceeded  to  Kome,  arriving  in  the  Eternal  City 
on  the  evening  of  November  12, 1852. 

"Within  two  days  the  daguerreotypes  were  placed  in 
the  hands  of  Mr.  Gibson  as  he  sat  at  breakfast  in  the 
Cafe  Greco,  a  famous  place  of  resort  for  artists. 

Now  be  it  known,  as  a  caution  to  women  not  to 
enter  lightly  upon  any  career,  to  throw  it  up  as  lightly 
upon  the  first  difficulty  which  arises,  that  a  prejudice 
existed  in  Eome  against  lady  artists,  from  the  preten- 


36-i  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

sions  with  which  some  had  repaired  thither,  and  upon 
which  they  had  succeeded  in  gaining  access  to  some 
of  the  best  studios  and  instruction  from  their  masters, 
to  throw  those  valuable  opportunities  aside  at  the  first 
obstacle  that  arose.  Mr.  Gibson  had  himself,  it  was 
said,  been  thus  victimized  and  annoyed,  and  it  was  rep- 
resented to  Miss  Hosmer  as  doubtful  in  the  extreme  if 
he  would  either  look  at  the  daguerreotypes  or  listen  to 
the  proposal  of  her  becoming  his  pupil.  However, 
the  daguerreotypes  were  placed  before  him ;  and,  tak- 
ing them  into  his  hands — one  presenting  a  full,  and 
the  other  a  profile  view  of  the  bust — he  sat  some  mo- 
ments in  silence,  looking  intently  at  them.  Encour- 
aged by  this,  the  young  sculptor  who  had  undertaken 
to  present  them  proceeded  to  explain  Miss  Hosmer's 
intentions  and  wishes,  what  she  had  already  done,  and 
what  she  hoped  to  do.  Still  Mr.  Gibson  remained  si- 
lent. Finally,  closing  the  cases, 

"  Send  the  young  lady  to  me,"  said  he,  "  and  what- 
ever I  know,  and  can  teach  her,  she  shall  learn." 

In  less  than  a  week  Harriet  Hosmer  was  fairly  in- 
stalled in  Mr.  Gibson's  studio,  in  the  up-stairs  room 
already  described.  Ere  long  a  truly  paternal  and  filial 
affection  sprung  up  between  the  master  and  the  pupil, 
a  source  of  great  happiness  to  themselves,  and  of  pleas- 
ure and  amusement  to  all  who  know  and  value  them, 
from  the  curious  likeness,  yet  unlikeness,  which  ex- 
isted from  the  first  in  Miss  Hosmer  to  Mr.  Gibson,  and 
which  daily  intercourse  has  not  tended  to  lessen. 

In  one  of  her  letters  she  says : 

"  The  dearest  wish  of  my  heart  is  gratified  in  that 
I  am  acknowledged  by  Gibson  as  a  pupil.  He  has 
been  resident  in  Eome  thirty -four  years,  and  leads  the 
van.  I  am  greatly  in  luck.  He  has  just  finished  the 


HAREIET  HOSMER.  365 

model  of  the  statue  of  the  queen,  and,  as  his  room  is 
vacant,  he  permits  me  to  use  it,  and  I  am  now  in  his 
own  studio.  I  have  also  a  little  room  for  work  which 
was  formerly  occupied  by  Canova,  and  perhaps  inspi- 
ration may  be  drawn  from  the  walls." 

The  first  winter  in  Kome  was  passed  in  modeling 
from  the  antique,  Mr.  Gibson  desiring  to  assure  him- 
self of  the  correctness  of  Miss  Hosmer's  eye,  and  the 
soundness  of  her  knowledge;  Hesper  evincing  the 
possession  of  the  imaginative  and  creative  power. 
From  the  first,  Mr.  Gibson  expressed  himself  more 
than  satisfied  with  her  power  of  imitating  the  round- 
ness and  softness  of  flesh,  saying,  upon  one  occasion, 
that  he  had  never  seen  it  surpassed  and  not  often 
equaled. 

Her  first  attempt  at  original  design  in  Eome  was  a 
bust  of  Daphne,  quickly  succeeded  by  another  of  the 
Medusa — the  beautiful  Medusa — and  a  lovely  thing  it 
is,  faultless  in  form,  and  intense  in  its  expression  of 
horror  and  agony,  without  trenching  on  the  physical- 
ly painful. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  warm  friend  Miss 
Hosmer  made  for  herself  during  her  winter  at  St. 
Louis,  in  the  head  of  the  family  at  whose  house  she 
was  a  guest.  This  gentleman,  as  a  God-speed  to  the 
young  artist  on  her  journey  to  Home,  sent  her,  on  the 
eve  of  departure,  an  order  to  a  large  amount  for  the 
first  figure  she  should  model,  leaving  her  entirely  free 
to  select  her  own  time  and  subject.  A  statue  of  CEnone 
was  the  result,  which  is  now  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Crow, 
at  St.  Louis,  and  which  gave  such  satisfaction  to  its 
possessor  and  his  fellow-townsmen,  that  an  order  was 
forwarded  to  Miss  Hosmer  for  a  statue  for  the  Public 
Library  at  St.  Louis,  on  the  same  liberal  terms.  Bea- 


366  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 

trice  Cenci,  which  has  won  so  many  golden  opinions 
from  critics  and  connoisseurs,  was  sent  to  St.  Louis  in 
fulfillment  of  this  order. 

The  summers  in  Kome  are,  as  every  one  knows, 
trying  to  the  natives,  and  full  of  danger  to  foreigners. 
Dr.  Hosmer,  having  seen  his  daughter  finally  settled, 
returned  to  America,  leaving  her  with  strict  injunc- 
tions to  seek  some  salubrious  spot  in  the  neighboring 
mountains  for  the  summer,  if  indeed  she  did  not  go 
into  Switzerland  or  England.  Eome,  however,  was 
the  centre  of  attraction ;  and,  after  the  first  season, 
which  was  spent  at  Sorrento,  on  the  Bay  of  Naples, 
Miss  Hosmer  could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  go  out 
of  sight  and  reach  of  its  lordly  dome  and  noble  treas- 
ures of  art.  The  third  summer  came,  and,  listening 
to  the  advice  of  her  friends,,  and  in  obedience  to  the 
express  wish  of  her  father,  she  made  arrangements  for 
a  visit  to  England.  The  day  was  settled,  the  trunks 
were  packed ;  she  was  on  the  eve  of  departure,  when 
a  letter  from  America  arrived,  informing  her  of  heavy 
losses  sustained  by  her  father,  which  must  necessitate 
retrenchment  in  every  possible  way,  a  surrender  of 
her  career  in  Eome,  and  an  immediate  return  home. 

The  news  came  upon  her  like  a  thunderbolt.  Stun- 
ned and  bewildered,  she  knew  not  at  the  moment  what 
to  do.  An  only  child,  and  hitherto  indulged  in  every 
whim  and  caprice,  the  position  was  indeed  startling 
and  perplexing.  The  surrender  of  her  art-career  was 
the  only  thing  which  she  felt  to  be  impossible ;  what- 
ever else  might  come,  that  could  not,  should  not  be. 
And  now  came  into  play  that  true  independence  of 
character  which  hitherto  had  shown  itself  mostly  in 
wild  freaks  and  tricks.  Instead  of  falling  back  upon 
those  friends  whose  means  she  knew  would  be  at  her 


HAEEIET  HOSMER.  367 

disposal  in  this  emergency,  she  dispatched  a  messenger 
for  the  young  sculptor  who  had  shown  the  daguerreo- 
types to  Mr.  Gibson,  and  who,  himself  dependent  upon 
his  professional  exertions,  was,  she  decided,  the  fittest 
person  to  consult  with  as  to  her  own  future  career. 
He  obeyed  the  hasty  summons,  and  found  the  joyous, 
laughing  countenance  he  had  always  known,  pale  and 
changed,  as  it  were,  suddenly,  from  that  of  a  young 
girl  to  a  woman  full  of  cares  and  anxieties.  He  could 
scarcely  credit  the  intelligence ;  but  the  letter  was  ex- 
plicit ;  the  summons  home  peremptory.  "  Go,  I  will 
not,"  was  her  only  coherent  resolution ;  so  the  two  laid 
their  heads  together.  Miss  Hosmer  was  the  owner  of 
a  handsome  horse  and  an  expensive  English  saddle ; 
these  were  doomed  at  once.  The  summer  in  Eome 
itself,  during  which  season  living  there  costs  next  to 
nothing,  was  determined  upon ;  and  during  those  sum- 
mer months  Miss  Hosmer  should  model  something  so 
attractive  that  it  should  insure  a  speedy  order,  and,  ex- 
ercising strict  economy,  start  thenceforth  on  an  inde- 
pendent artist-career,  such  as  many  of  those  around 
her  with  less  talent  and  training,  managed  to  carry  on 
with  success.  No  sooner  said  than  done ;  the.  trunks 
were  unpacked ;  the  friends  she  had  been  about  to  ac- 
company departed  without  her ;  her  father's  reverses 
were  simply  and  straightforwardly  announced,  and 
she  entered  at  once  on  the  line  of  industry  and  econ- 
omy she  and  her  friend  had  struck  out. 

It  is  said  that  friendship  between  a  young  man  and 
a  young  woman  is  scarcely  possible,  and  perhaps,  un- 
der ordinary  circumstances,  where  the  woman  has  no 
engrossing  interests  of  her  own,  no  definite  aim  and 
pursuit  in  life,  it  may  be  so.  Here,  however,  was  a 
case  of  genuine  and  helpful  friendship,  honorable  alike 


368  WOMEN  AETISTS. 

to  the  heads  and  hearts  of  both.  Under  the  experi- 
enced direction  of  her  friend,  Miss  Hosmer  conducted 
her  affairs  with  prudence  and  economy,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  with  due  regard  to  health.  The  summer 
passed  away,  and  neither  fever  nor  any  other  form  of 
mischief  attacked  our  young  friend.  She  worked 
hard,  and  modeled  a  statue  of  Puck,  so  full  of  spirit, 
originality,  and  fun,  that  it  was  no  sooner  finished 
than  orders  to  put  it  into  marble  came  in.  It  was  re- 
peated again  and  again,  and,  during  the  succeeding 
winter,  three  copies  were  ordered  for  England  alone 
— one  for  the  Duke  of  Hamilton.  Thus  fairly  started 
on  her  own  ground,  Miss  Hosmer  met  with  that  suc- 
cess which  talent,  combined  with  industry  and  ener- 
gy, never  fails  to  command. 

The  winter  in  which  the  Cenci  was  being  put  into 
marble  she  was  engaged  in  modeling  a  monument  to 
the  memory  of  a  beautiful  young  Catholic  lady,  des- 
tined for  a  niche  in  the  church  of  San  Andreo  delle 
Fratte,  in  the  Yia  Mercede,  close  upon  the  Piazza  di 
Spagna.  A  portrait  full-length  figure  of  the  young 
girl,  life  size,  reclines  upon  a  low  couch.  The  attitude 
is  easy  .and  natural,  and  the  tranquil  sleep  of  death  is 
admirably  rendered  in  contradistinction  to  the  warm 
sleep  of  life  in  the  Cenci. 

Miss  Hosmer  was  engaged  during  the  winter  of 
1858  in  modeling  a  fountain,  for  which  she  has  taken 
the  story  of  Hylas  descending  for  water,  when,  accord- 
ing to  mythology,  he  is  seized  upon  by  the  water- 
nymphs  and  drowned.  Hylas  forms  the  crown  of  the 
pyramid,  while  the  nymphs  twined  around  its  base, 
with  extended  arms,  seek  to  drag  him  down  into  the 
water  below,  where  dolphins  are  spouting  jets  which 


HARRIET  HOSMER, 


369 


interlace  each,  other.    A  double  basin,  the  upper  one 
supported  by  swans,  receives  the  cascade. 

During  the  spring  of  1859  Miss  Hosmer  worked 
upon  her  statue  of  Zenobia,  bespoken  in  America. 
The  young  Prince  of  Wales  visited  her  studio  to  see 
this  unfinished  work,  which  he  greatly  admired.  He 
purchased  a  "  Puck,"  by  her  hand,  to  add  to  his  collec- 
tion. Miss  Hosmer  executed,  as  a  side-piece  to  this, 
a  "  Will-o'-the-Wisp,"  said  even  to  be  superior. 


Library.  ) 


Of 


CklifornU- 


; 


NAMES  OF  WOMEN  ARTIST^. 


Abarca,  Donna  Maria  de 

Agues,  Abbess  of  Quedlin- 

berg 

Airola,  Angelica  Veronica  ... 

Aizelin,  Madame 

Alboni,  Rosa 

Alfieri,  Carlotta  Melania 

Alloin,  Mademoiselle 

Amalasuntha 

Amherst,  Lady 

Anaxandra 

Andross,  Miss 

Angelica 

Anguisciola,  Anna  Maria  .... 

Europa 

Helena...., 

Lucia 

Minerva 

Sofonisba 

Anna  Amalia,  of  Brunswick.. 
Anna,  Princess  of  Orange.... 

Anzon,  Madame 203, 

Ardinghelli,  Maria  Angela... 

Ardoino,  Anna  Maria 

Aristarite 

Armani,  Vincenza 

Aromatari,  Dorothea 

Aumont,  Augustine 

Ava 

Aveiro,  Duchess  of 

B. 

Badger,  Mrs 

Ballain,  Nanine 

Basseporte,  Madeleine  Fran- 

9oise 

Beale,  Mary 

Beauclerk,  Lady  Diana 

Beaurepas,  Madame  de 

Beckson,  Miss 

Beer,  Maria  Eugenia  de 

Beinaschi,  Angela 

Bejar,  Duchess  of. 


pAGBJBell,  Miss 190 

86Benavides,  Maria  Cueva 87 

Bennings,  Liewina 57 

29Benoit,  Madame 203 

82Benwell,  Mary 188 

239  Bernasconi,  Laura 80 

225  Bertaud,  Marie  Rosalie 204 

225  Blackwell,  Elizabeth 190 

240  Blanchot,  Genevieve 201 

28  Block,  Joanna  Koerten 126 

186  Boccherini,  Anna 224 

26Bohren,  Mademoiselle 138 

170Boizot,  Louise  Adelaide 204 

86Bonheur,  Julietta 275 

48  "  Rosa 261 

51  Borghini,  Maria 79 

48  Bosenbacher,  Mary  Anna  ....  240 

51  Breughel,  Anna 97 

48Brizio,  Plautilla 80 

49  Broeck,  Barbara  Van  den....     58 
136  Brossard,  Marie  Genevieve...  202 

167Brun,  Eugenie 237 

237  Brusasorci,  Cecilia 55 

225Bruyere,  Madame 203 

79  Bruyn,  Anna  de 97 

26Burini,  Barbara 225 

45Butlar,  Madame  von 237 

55 
239  c- 

28  Caballero,  Angela  Perez 89 

86  Caccia,  Francesca 82 

"       Ursula 82 

Caffa,  Maria  la 83 

316  Calavrese,  Maria 42 

236  Callirhoe 24 

Calypso 26 

202  Cantofoli,  Ginevra 72 

123  Cantoni,  Caterina 55 

187|Capet,  Madame 203 

190! Carasquilla,  Isabella 88 

190Carlisle,  Anna 122 

86       "         Countess  of 122 

78  Carpenter,  Mrs 244 

86  Camera,  Rosalba 226 


372 


NAMES  OF  WOMEN  AETISTS. 


Casalina,  Lucia 82,  225 


Cassana,  Maria  Vittoria 82  Du  Pre,  Julia 342 


Caxton,  Florence.... 244 

Chalon,  Christina 167 

Chapin,  Mrs 288 

Charlotte  of  Austria 136 

Charlotte  Matilda,  Queen  of 
Wurtemberg 186 


Charpentier,  Madame 203  Elizabeth  of  Austria 226 


Constance  Marie  236 

Cheron,  Elizabeth  Sophie 90 

Cherubini,  Caterina 224 

Cheves,  Charlotte 344 

Cirene 26 

Cleyn,  Penelope 122 

"     Magdalen 122 

"      Sarah 122 

Coello,  Isabella  Sanchez 86 

Cole,  Sarah 295 

Collot,  Mademoiselle 201 

Cooper,  Ellen 344 

Copomazza,  Luisa 78  Fauveau,  Felicie  de 

Corbeaux,  Fanny 243  Festa,  Bianca 

Coriolani,  Maria'  Teresa 73 

Cosway,  Maria 191 

Coulet,  Anne  Philibert 204 

Crabbe,  Anna 121 

Creti,  Ersilia 73 

Criscuolo,  Maria  Angela 55 

D. 


Ducluzeau,  Madame 239 


Duquesnoy,  Mademoiselle....  202 
Durand,  Flavia 65 

E. 

Eimart,  Maria  Clara 114 

Elie,  Madame 236 


Elizabeth  Christina  of  Bruns- 
wick 


13G 
Elizabeth  Ernestine  Antonia, 

of  Saxe-Meiningen 136 

Elizabeth,  Princess 186 

"          Princess  of  Parma  226 

Ellenrieder,  Maria 241 

Eyck,  Margaretta  von 34 

F. 

Fanshawe,  Catharine  Mary...  190 

Farnese,  Isabella ."....  89 

247 
224 

Matilda 224 

Fiesca,  Helen 47 

Tommasa 47 

Fischer,  Anna  Catharina 114 

"        Susannah 114 

Fitzgerald,  Lady  E 170 

Lady  Henry 186 

Foley,  Margaret 287 


Darner,  Anne  Seymour 170  Fontaine,  Madame 239 


Damini,  Damina 81 


Fontana,  Lavinia 61 


Danti,  Teodora 43  Fontana,  Veronica 73 

Dards,  Mrs 1 89  j  Forestier,  Marie  Anne  Julie. .  236 

Dassel,  Herminie 312lForgue,  Apollonia  de 232 

Davin,  Madame 201,  236!Fratellini,  Giovanna 83 

Delany,  Mrs 186!Freeman,  Anna  Mary 342 

Denning,  Charlotte 287jFreiberg,  Baroness  Ton 241 

Deverzy,  Adrienno  Marie  ....  237jFriedrich,  Caroline  Frederika  142 

Dietrich,  Maria  Dorothea....  HLFuessli  (Fuseli),  Anna 142 

"        Elizabeth...  142 


Rosina 143 

Dietsch  Sisters 141 

Dolce,  Agnes 73 

"      Maria 73 


Fiirst,  Magdalena 114 

G. 


Dolora,  Anna  Victoria 225  Gabassi,  Margerita ; 

Domenici,  Maria 81,  83  Gabion,  Jeanne  Elizabeth  ....  237 

Dorsch,  Susannah  Maria 138  Galeotti,  Anna 224 

Drax,  Miss 190|Galizia,  Fede 60 

Drolling,  Louise  Adeone 237!Garri,  Colomba 225 

Dubois,  Mrs.  Cornelius 297jGarzoni,  Giovanna 82 

Duchemin,  Catherine 90  Gauthier,  Elizabeth 201 


NAMES  OF  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


373 


Gentilesca,  Sofonisba..., 

Gentileschi,  Artemisia 

Gerard,  Madame 

"        Marguerite 

"        Susannah 

Ghisi,  Diana 

Gibson,  Susannah  Penelope.. 

Gilarte,  Magdalena 

Ginnassi,  Caterina 

Giovannini,  Bianca 

Glauber,  Diana 

Godefroy,  Eleonore 

"          Madame 

Godewyck,  Margaretta 

Gois,  Madame 

Goldbeck,  Madame 

Goodrich,  Mrs 

Gove,  Miss 

Grace,  Mrs 

Granbury,  Miss 

Grandi,  Paolina 

Grassi,  Niccola 

Gray,  Miss 

Greatorex,  Mrs 

Grebber,  Maria 

Greuze,  Anna  Gabrielle 

Greville,  Lady  Louisa  de 

Guadalupe,  Maria  de. 

Guillemard,  Sophie 

H. 

Hall,  Anne 

Hamerani,  Beatrice 

Hamsen,  Catherine 

Hartley,  Miss 

Hawthorne,  Mrs 

Hay,  Mrs.  Benham 

Hayd,  Marianna 

Hedwig,  Sophie,  Princess.... 

Heere,  Margaret  de 

Heinecke,    Catharina  Eliza- 
beth  

Helena 

Herault,  Antoinette 

"        Madelaine 

"        Marie  Catherine.... 

Herbalin,  Madame 

Heylan,  Anna 

Hildegardis 

Hildreth,  Mrs 

Hill,  Mrs 

Hoadley,  Mrs 


TAGEJ  PAGE 

55  Hoffmann,  Elizabeth 97 

G(>  Hogenhuizen,  Elizabeth  Geor- 


202 
201 
57 
43 
121 
87 
65 
225 
115 
237 
201 
98 
202 
342 
287 
316 
189 
316 
81 
80 
190 
316 
97 
202 
186 
86 
237 

299 
80 
57 
189 
316 
244 
140 
121 
57 

141 
26 
90 
90 
201 
240 
87 
28 
315 
316 
189 

168 
115 

185 
203 
349 
244 
28 
222 
287 
57 

57 

239 
241 
345 
78 
113 

26 
144 
57 
124 
104 
24 
241 
203 
114 
114 
114 

188 
237 
237 
27 
239 
114 
326 
114 
190 
30 
190 
27 
81 
206 
203 

Hoppner,  Mrs  

Hortemels,  Mary  Magdalen.. 
Hosmer,  Harriet  

Howitt,  Miss  

Hroswitha  

Hueva,  Barbara  Maria  de.... 
Hughes,  Mrs.  Ball  

Hurembout,  Susannah   . 

I. 
Iberg,  Eva  von  

J. 
Jacotot,  Madame  

Jericho  w-Baumann,  Madame 
Johnson,  Mary  Ann  

Juvenel,  Esther  

K. 
Kallo  

Keyzer,  Clara  de  

Killegrew,  Anne  

Koher,  Anna  de  

Kor  a  

Krafft,  Barbara  

Kusel,  Christina  

"       Johanna  Sibylla  

"       Magdalena.  ... 

L. 

Lafond,  Aurore  Etienne  

Lafontaine  Rosalie  de... 

Lala  

Lamartine,  Madame  de 

Lander,  Louisa  

Lange,  Barbara  Helena  
Langley  Betty 

Lawrence   Mary 

Lava  ... 

Le  Brun,  Elizabeth  . 

Leconte,  Marguerite  ... 

374 


NAMES  OF  WOMEN  AKTISTS. 


Ledotix,  Philiberte , 

Lee,  Anna 

Legare,  Mary  Swinton , 

Legris,  Amelie , 

Lenoir,  Madame 

Leroulx,  Madame 

Lescaille,  Catharina 

Leslie,  Ann , 

Lesueur,  Elise 

Linwood,  Miss 

Liscewska,  Anna  Rosina 

Lister,  Anna 

"       Susannah , 

Liszeuska,  Anna  Dorothea.. 

Lodde,  Alexia  de 

Longhi,  Barbara 

Losa,  Isabella 

Lucan,  Countess  of 

Lupton,  Mrs 

M. 

Mackintosh,  Sarah 

Manzolini,  Anna 

Maratti,  Maria 

Margaretta 

Margravine  of  Baden  -Dur- 

lach 

Maria  Anna,  of  Austria 

Marie  d'Orleans 

Marmochini,  Giovanna 

Martin,  Miss 

Masson,  Madelaine 

Matteis,  Emmanuela 

"       Felice 

"        Maria  Angiola 

May,  Miss 

"     Caroline 

Mayer,  Constance 

Mazzoni,  Isabella 

Medici,  Mary  del 

Memorata,  Anna 

Menendez,  Anna 

"         Clara 

Mengs,  Anna  Maria 

Menu,  Dorothea 

Merian,  Maria  Sibylla 

Merrifield,  Miss 

Messieri,  Anna  Teresia 

Metz,  Gertrude 

Micas,  Mademoiselle 

Michaud,  Madame 

Mills,  Mrs.  Monckton 


PAGE!  PAGE 

236!Mirbel,  Comtesse  de ., 239 

190  Mirnaux 203 

SOlMogalli,  Teresa 224 

239  Mongez,  Angelique 236 

237  Montferrier,  Louise  de 237 

236  Monti,  Eleonora 225 

97Morata,  Fulvia 112 

294  More,  Mary 122 

201Moritz,  Anna 168 

190Morland,  Miss 190 

HOMoser,  Mary 181 

122  Muratori,  Teresa 73 

122  Murray,  Elizabeth 244 

143        "        Mary 28(5 

165Mutrie,  Miss 240 

47  Myin,  Cornelia  van  der 168 

56  Myn,  Agatha  van  der 188 

187 

286  N. 

Natali,  Madalena 65 

Naugis,  Genevieve 203 

287Neal,  Elizabeth 190 

225Nelli,  PlautUla 30,  42 

225  Noel,  Miss 190 

35Nohren,  Mademoiselle 139 

Nymegen,  Susanna  Maria....  168 


136 
136 

238 


O. 


Oakley,  Juliana 316 

79O'Connell,  Madame 95 

190  Oever,  Alberta  ten 168 

93  Ogle,  Miss 170 

225O'Hara,  Miss 287 

225  Olympias 26 

225  Ommegank,  Maria  Jacoba ...  168 

315  Oosterwy ck,  Maria  van 104 

316  Oostfries,  Catharine 104 

236  Oppendorf,  Countess  von 141 

42  Ozanne,  Jane  Frances 90 

"       Mary  Ann 90 


79 
112 
222 


P. 


222  Paar,  Princess  Anna 1 

140  Pakman,  Angelica  Agnes  97,  104 

138  Palladini,  Arcangela 60,  79 

116  Palomino,  Francisca 87 

244  Panzacchi,  Maria  Helena 73 

225  Pappafava,  Beatrice 60 

142Parasole,  Hieronima 80 

282         "        Isabella 80 

203  Parenti-Duclos,  Anna 224 

244Pasch,  Ulrica  Frederika 1G5 


NAMES  OF  WOMEN  AETISTS. 


375 


PAGE 

Passe,  Magdalen  de 58  Robert,  Fanny 237 

Patin,  Carlotta 81!Robineau,  Claire 237 

"      Gabriella 8l|Robusti,  Marietta 45 

Pazzi,  Caterina  de' 55  Eodiana,  Onorata 3G 

Peale,  Anna  C 288  Roldan,  Luisa 87 

"      Mrs.  Rembrandt 294  Ronde,  Lucrece  Catherine  de 

"      Rosalba 294      la 201 

"      Sarah  M 291,  293  Rosa,  Amelia  di 75 

Pellegrini,  Ludovica 55 (Rose,  Susan  Penelope 122 

Pepyn,  Catherine 95  Rosee,  Mademoiselle 126 

Perez,  Anna 222JRoss,  Elizabeth 138 

Perrot,  Catherine OOjliossi,  Properzia  di 39 

Peters,  Clara 103jRusca,  Caterina 60,  83 

Pflauder,  Rosina 138  IRuysch,  Rachel 106 

Pfrundt,  Anna  Maria 1 14 JRyberg,  Elizabeth 168 

Piccini,  Isabella 79jRyding,  C.  M 165 

Pinelli,  Antonia 65  Ryk,  Cornelia  de 167 

Pisani,  Livia 224 

Planteau,  Madame 286          •  S. 

Platt,  Mrs 185  Salmeggia,  Chiara 83 

Po,  Teresa  del 65,  78  Salviani,  Rosalba  Maria 224 

Pompadour,  Madame  dc 93  Salvioni,  Rosalba 88 

Pozzo,  Isabella  dal 63  Samon,  Mrs 170 

Preisler,  Anna  Felicitas 139  Sanchez,  Jesualda 87 

"        Barbara  Julia 139  Sandrart,     Susannah    Maria 

"        Helen 114      von 113 

"        Maria  Anna 139  Sanniento,  Teresa 86 

Prestel,  Maria  Catharine 189  Sartori,  Felicita 232 

Preu,  Joanna  Sabina 114  Sattler,  Caroline 202 

Prieto,  Maria 222  Saville,  Lady  Dorothea 186 

"      Maria  de  Loreto 88  Saxe-Meiningen,  Princess  of..  240 

Pro  vis,  Anna  Jemima 189  Scaligeri,  Agnes 83 

"        Lucia 83* 

Q-  Scarafaglia,  Lucrezia 72 

Quatrepomme,  Isabella 56  Schalken,  Maria 98 

Querubini,  Caterina 89  Scheffer,  Caroline 168 

Questier,  Catharina 99  Schild,  Charlotte  Rebecca....  138 

Schott,  Crescentia 138 

B«  Schroeter,  Caroline  von 242 

Raimondi,  Madame 43  Schurmann,  Anna  Maria 99 

Rastrum,  Margaretta 115  Schwartz,  Catherine 57 

Ravemann,  Madame 115  Schwindel,  Rosa  Elizabeth...  138 

Rayner,  Louisa 244  Seghers,  Anna 57 

Read,  Catherine, 190  Seidler,  Louise  Caroline 241 

Redi,  Giovanna 79  Siddons,  Mrs 170 

Renieri,  Anna 81  Silva,  Maria  de 222 

Reyschoot,  Anna  Maria  von..  165  Silvestre,  Susanna 203 

Rialto,  Domenia  Luisa 81  Simanowitz,  Ludovika 240 

Ricchi,  Ciena 78  Simes,  Mary  Jane 293 

Riedel,  Maria  Theresa 143  Simons,  Maria  Elizabeth 168 

Rieger,  Maria J.14  Sirani,  Anna  Maria ,     72 

Rite,  Isabel  Maria 223      "      Barbara 72 


376 


NAMES  OF  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


Sirani,  Elisabetta 

Siries,  Violanta  Beatrice 

Siscara,  Angelica 

Skeysers,  Clara 

Smirke,  Miss 

Smith,  Barbara  Leigh 

"  Elizabeth 

Smyters,  Anna 57, 

Sonnenschein,  Mademoiselle 
Sophia,  Duchess  of  Coburg- 

Saalfeld 

Sophia,  Princess 

Spencer,  Countess  Lavinia... 

"  Lily  M 

Spilberg,  Adriana 

Spilimberg,  Irene  di 

Spilsbury,  Mary 

Stebbins,  Emma 

Steen,  Susanna  von 

Steenwyk,  Madame 

Steinbach,  Sabina  von 

Stella,  Claudine  Bonzonnet... 

Stoop,  Mariana  van  der 

Stresor,  Henriette 

Stuart,  Jane 

Stuntz,  Electrine 

St.  Urbin,  Marie  Anne  de.... 

Sully,  Jane 

Surigny,  Madame 

T. 

Tarabotti,  Augusta 

"        Caterina 

Tardieu,  Elizabeth  Clara 

Tassaert,  Henriette  Felicitas 

Temple,  Lady 

Terburg,  Gezina 

Maria 

Tesi,  Teresa 

Tessala,  Anna 

Tesselschade-Visscher,  Anna 
"  Maria 

Theudelinda 

Thielen,  Maria  Theresa  van.. 
Tibaldi,  Maria  Felice....  222, 

"       Teresa 

Timarata 

Tintoretto,  Marietta 

Tirlinks,  Lewina 

Tischbein,  Magdalena 

Torrens,  Eliza 

"       Eosalba 


PAGE]  PAGE 

68|Tott,  Countess  of 188 

224  Traballesi,  Agatha 43 

225Treu,  Catharina 141 


57 
190 


Mary  Anna 139 

"     Rosalie 139 

244|Trevingard,  Anna 190 

170  Triumn,  Camilla 83 

188|Triva,  Flaminia 60,  65 

240Troost,  Sarah 167 

Truchsetz-Waldburg,   Count- 

136     ess  von 141 

USTussaud,  Madame 198 

186 

317  U. 

OSUlefeld,  Eleonora  Christina..  121 
44!       "       Helena  Christina....  121 
190  Utrecht,  Constantia  of ...  58,  104 
346 
104  V. 

97  Vajani,  Anna  Maria 79,  82 

30  Valdes  Leal,  Luisa 88 

90  "  Maria 88 

115  "  Maria  de 222 

90  Van  der  Myn,  Agatha 188 

315Vandyck,  Anna 81 

241  Vanetti,  Laura 225 

201  Vanni,  Violanta 224 

287Varotari,  Chiara 81 

203Vasini,  Clarice 225 

Velasco,  Francisca  Palomino 

y 87 

60Venier,  Ippolita 232 

82  Verbruggen,  Susanna 104 

203  Verelst,  Maria 165 

139Vernet,  Fanny 203 

186  Viani,  Maria 73 

98  Victoria,  of  Anhalt-Bernburg  136 
98Vieira,  Catarina 223 

225Vigri,  Caterina 35 


97 


VilP  Ambrosa,  Countess  of...     86 


98Villers,  Madame 236 

98  Vincent,  Adelaide 204 

28 


131 
224 
224 


57 


28G 


W. 

Wasser,  Anna 129 

Watson,  Caroline 189 


25Weis,  Madame 138 

45Werbronk,  Jacoba 143 


Wermuth,  Maria  Juliana 338 


240  Weston,  Joanna 121 


Mary 


332 


286  Wieslatin,  Maria 114 


NAMES  OF  WOMEN  ARTISTS. 


377 


PAGE  PAGE 

Wilde,  Maria  de 104  Wright,  Mrs 189 

Wildorfer,  Maria  Elizabeth...  142        "        Patience 182 

Wilmot,  Mrs 170  Wulfraat,  Margaretta 98 

Wilson,  Mrs 295 

Withers,  the  Misses 344  Z. 

Withoos,  Alida 103  Zarcillo,  Inez 88 

Wolters,  Henrietta 167  Ziesenis,  Margaretta 165 

Wonders,  Micheline 95  Zucchi,  Catarina 224 

Woodman,  Mrs 316 


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CURTIS'S    HISTORY 

OP  THE 

CONSTITUTION. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  ORIGIN,  FORMATION,  AND  ADOP- 
TION OF  THE  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES.  By  GEORGE  TICKNOR  CURTIS.  Complete  in  2  vols. 
8vo,  Muslin,  $4  00 ;  Law  Sheep,  $5  00 ;  Half  Calf,  $6  00. 

A  book  so  thorough  as  this  in  the  comprehension  of  its  subject,  so  impartial 
in  the  summing  up  of  its  judgments,  so  well  considered  in  its  method,  and  so 
truthful  in  its  matter,  may  safely  challenge  the  most  exhaustive  criticism.  The 
Constitutional  History  of  our  country  has  not  before  been  made  the  subject  of  a 
special  treatise.  We  may  congratulate  ourselves  that  an  author  has  been  found 
so  capable  to  do  full  j  ustice  to  it ;  for  that  the  work  will  take  its  rank  among  the 
received  text-books  of  our  political  literature  will  be  questioned  by  no  one  who 
has  given  it  a  careful  perusal. — National  Intelligencer. 

We  know  of  no  person  who  is  better  qualified  (now  that  the  late  Daniel  Web- 
ster is  no  more),  to  undertake  this  important  history. — Boston  Journal. 

It  will  take  its  place  among  the  classics  of  American  literature.— Boston  Cour- 
ier. 

The  author  has  given  years  to  the  preliminary  studies,  and  nothing  has  es- 
caped him  in  the  patient  and  conscientious  researches  to  which  he  has  devoted 
so  ample  a  portion  of  time.  Indeed,  the  work  has  been  so  thoroughly  performed 
that  it  will  never  need  to  be  done  over  again ;  for  the  sources  have  been  exhaust- 
ed, and  the  materials  put  together  with  so  much  judgment  and  artistic  skill  that 
taste  and  the  sense  of  completeness  are  entirely  satisfied.— N.  Y.  Daily  Times. 

A  most  important  and  valuable  contribution  to  the  historical  and  political  lit- 
erature of  the  United  States.  All  publicists  and  students  of  public  law  will  be 
grateful  to  Mr.  Curtis  for  the  diligence  and  assiduity  with  which  he  has  wrought 
out  the  great  mine  of  diplomatic  lore  in  which  the  foundations  of  the  American 
Constitution  are  laid,  and  for  the  light  he  has  thrown  on  his  wide  and  arduous 
subject. — London  Morning  Chronicle. 

To  trace  the  history  of  the  formation  of  the  Constitution,  and  explain  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  time  and  country  out  of  which  its  various  provisions  grew,  is  a 
task  worthy  of  the  highest  talent.  To  have  performed  that  task  in  a  satisfacto- 
ry manner  is  an  achievement  with  which  an  honorable  ambition  may  well  be 
gratified.  We  can  honestly  say  that  in  our  opinion  Mr.  Curtis  has  fairly  won 
this  distinction. — N.  Y.  Courier  and  Enquirer. 

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standard  work  destined  to  hold  a  permanent  place  in  the  impartial  judgment  of 
future  generations.— Boston  Traveler. 

Should  the  second  volume  sustain  the  character  of  the  first,  we  hazard  nothing 
in  claiming  for  the  entire  publication  the  character  of  a  standard  work.  It  will 
furnish  the  only  sure  guide  to  the  interpretation  of  the  Constitution,  by  unfolding 
historically  the  wants  it  was  intended  to  supply,  and  the  evils  which  it  was  in- 
tended to  remedy. — Boston  Daily  Advertiser. 

This  volume  is  an  important  contribution  to  our  constitutional  and  historical 
literature.  *  *  *  Every  true  friend  of  the  Constitution  will  gladly  welcome  it. 
The  author  has  presented  a  narrative  clear  and  interesting.  It  evinces  careful 
research,  skillful  handling  of  material,  lucid  statement,  and  a  desire  to  write  in 
a  tone  and  manner  worthy  of  the  great  theme.—  Boston  Post. 

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